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OFFICIAL GUIDE TO
SOUTH AFRICA
2022/23
Sport, Arts and Culture
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) is mandated to provide
leadership to the sport, arts and culture sector to accelerate its transformation;
oversee the development and management of sport, arts and culture in South
Africa; legislate on sports participation, sports infrastructure and safety; improve
South Africa’s international ranking in selected sports through a partnership with
the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC);
preserve, develop, protect and promote the cultural, heritage, linguistic diversity
and legacy of South Africa; lead nation-building and social cohesion through
social transformation; enhance archives and records management structures
and systems; and promote access to information.
In its efforts to enable transformed, capable and professional sport, arts and
culture sectors, over the medium term, the department planned to focus on
promoting and protecting heritage; creating job opportunities in the cultural and
creative sector; and providing integrated and accessible sport infrastructure and
events.
Over the medium term, the department aimed to continue developing,
transforming, preserving, protecting and promoting sport, arts, and culture at all
levels of participation to foster an active, winning, creative and socially cohesive
nation.
In support of this, over the period ahead, the department aimed to focus on
creating job opportunities to contribute to economic growth, promoting social
cohesion and facilitating nation building, developing and promoting sport and
recreation, transforming and building capacity in the arts and culture sector, and
building and maintaining heritage assets.
Creating job opportunities in the cultural and creative industries
In addition to their role in instilling social and cultural values and fostering a
national identity among South Africans, the cultural and creative industries have
the potential to contribute to economic growth, employment and international
trade.
The Mzansi Golden Economy (MGE) Programme seeks to unlock this potential
by facilitating the creation of job opportunities in the arts, culture and heritage
sector by supporting interventions designed to develop audiences, stimulate
demand, increase market access and develop skills.
The MGE funds community arts development programmes, incubators, other
skills development initiatives, national and provincial agships, and 270 projects
in the creative sector. It has the potential to create 36 000 job opportunities in the
cultural and creative industry.
Over 1 020 artists were expected to be placed in schools over the next three
years with the aim of developing and improving art practitioners’ pedagogical
capabilities and skills to collaborate with educators in schools and other learning
centres, and communicate and interact more effectively with learners.