STAND together for Theatre and Dance

STAND (Sustaining Theatre and Dance Foundation) launches on 1 September. You are invited to participate.

Gregory Maqoma, Chairperson of STAND (Sustaining Theatre and Dance) Foundation issues an open invitation to the theatre and dance community, and to all those who love these artforms, to share in the official launch on Tuesday 1 September 2020.

The STAND Foundation is a new, independent public benefit organisation that aims to provide ongoing support for the South African theatre and dance ecosystems.

Our initiative looks to the dance and theatre community – and those who support contemporary dance and theatre – to find ways in which we can support each other both now and on an ongoing basis.

Our team comprises well-known individuals within the dance and theatre sector and includes Yvette Hardie, Unathi Malunga, Saartjie Botha, Ismail Mahomed, Musa Hlatshwayo, Debbie Turner, Sbonakaliso Ndaba, Ricardo Peach, Mike van Graan and myself.

To create awareness of the STAND Foundation and to generate a spirit of working together in our mutual interests, we are inviting the dance and theatre communities (companies, theatres, educational institutions, actors, playwrights, choreographers, technical workers, designers, etc) to commit to doing some activity on the day of the launch.

Some ideas in this regard are:

Street theatre/public contemporary dancing (new pieces or existing pieces)
Public readings of poetry/duologues
Public performances of monologues
Online shows with the public granted limited access for that day
Projections of dance and theatre onto buildings
Slides of dance and theatre posters looped in public spaces
Readings of new South African play scripts
Mass public dance lessons and dancing e.g. to Jerusalema, socially distanced, of course
Parades of actors and dancers in costume highlighting the plight of the sector
Performances (dance, stand-up, monologues, etc) in restaurants on the day
Online gallery of theatre and dance photos
Online gallery of theatre and dance posters
Online gallery of pictures of sets
Online gallery of costumes

We ask that you take photos and post these on Instagram and/or Facebook, tagging us via our hashtags, #stillSTANDingSA #STANDFoundationSA and social media handles: Instagram: standfoundationsa Facebook: standfoundationsa Twitter: standfsa

We will then re-share all posts, with names mentioned, accordingly. Alternatively, please email your photos to edmund@standfoundation.org.za so that we may share them for you.

Let us stand together in solidarity with each other, and invite others to do so, during these trying times and beyond. Thank you for taking the time to consider your supportive contribution; please do not hesitate to contact us, Edmund at the above address or greg@standfoundation.org.za or mike@standfoundation.org.za for more information.

FAQ:

What is the STAND Foundation?

The Sustaining Theatre and Dance (STAND) Foundation is an independent, non-profit and public benefit entity created by individuals within the sector to nurture, promote and celebrate contemporary South African dance and theatre.

Why is the STAND Foundation necessary?

The COVID-19 lockdown emphasised the marginalisation of the arts generally and theatre and dance in particular. Even without COVID-19 restrictions, dance and theatre – more than most other art forms – will need support. STAND is an initiative from within the sector to sustain and grow contemporary dance and theatre while it will advocate for more effective public funding of the sector.

What does the STAND Foundation aim to do?

While there is a great need for relief funding during this period that has severely limited income streams, STAND aims to provide opportunities for those who make their livelihoods within the dance and theatre sector to continue to practice their craft and earn income.

Who will be served by STAND?

The whole value chain within the dance and theatre ecosystems will be served (education, creation, production, distribution, consumption, archiving). This includes creative practitioners (actors, dancers, directors, writers, choreographers, designers, etc), administrators, educators, technical crew, publicists, archivists, researchers and the like.

What are some of the projects that STAND Foundation will support?

Some of STAND’s initial projects include choreographic mentorships, writing and acting opportunities, developing a vision for dance and theatre for advocacy purposes, providing opportunities for upskilling, financial and mental wellness projects and nurturing woman stand-up comics.

TO JOIN OUR DATABASE SIGN UP HERE:

http://bit.ly/JOINStand

How will STAND be funded?

STAND’s initial funds have come from individual patrons within the sector, or supporters of the sector who have pledged R10 000.00; this has been supplemented by funding from Business and Arts South Africa as well as funding from international agencies. STAND’s funding of projects will be secured through an ambitious crowdfunding programme.

Who runs the STAND Foundation?

STAND is coordinated by a Steering Committee comprising Gregory Maqoma (Chairperson), Yvette Hardie, Debbie Turner, Unathi Malunga, Musa Hlatshwayo, Saartjie Botha, Ismail Mahomed, Ricardo Peach, Sbonakaliso Ndaba and Mike van Graan.

When and how will the STAND Foundation be launched?

STAND will be launched on Tuesday 1 September through an online media conference at 14:00. All theatre and dance practitioners, organisations and institutions are invited to host activities that day (online or public performances, costume parades, projection of performances on walls, online poster exhibitions, etc) and post pictures on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter using the hashtag #STILLSTANDING

How can the dance and theatre sector support STAND to support the sector?

STAND represents the dance and theatre sector taking care of itself. STAND invites institutions, companies and individuals to help with its crowdfunding campaigns, to help build our database, to share ideas and information, to help recruit patrons, and participate in campaigns to build the sector.