New Grant Agreement

Twist is delighted to announce that it has signed a grant agreement with the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund (NLDTF) for the 2013-2014 project cycle. The NLDTF grant is for R 2 110200, and will cover a full cycle of the project.

About the NLDTF
The NLDTF relies on funds from the proceeds of the National Lottery. The Lotteries Act and regulations guide the way in which NLDTF funding may be allocated. The NLDTF wants the grants to make a difference to the lives of all South Africans, especially those more vulnerable, and to improve the sustainability of the beneficiary organisations. Available funds are distributed to registered and qualifying non-profit organisations in the fields of charities; arts, culture and national heritage; and sport and recreation. By placing its emphasis on areas of greatest need and potential, the NLDTF contributes to South Africa’s development.

New Groups
This agreement with the NLDTF has allowed Twist to recruit four groups for the new programme cycle, which will span two years. These groups were selected after a month of meetings with different theatre groups around the KZN province. We met with a number of exciting groups, saw a great deal of talent and were inspired by the continuous growth of community theatre in the province. The groups that we selected for inclusion in the 2013/2014 cycle come from a range of different areas, spanning the province.

Afri Bulletin Arts Organisation hails from Hlabisa. There are seven members of the group, under the leadership of Lucky Dlamini. They are a registered Non-Profit Organisation, and have previously worked on a number of programmes with the Hlabisa Municipality and performed in Durban, Manguzi, Hluhluwe and Hlabisa.
Lashona Ilanga Youth Arts Creation is a group based in Marianhill, under the leadership of Doctor Kheswa. Their 18 members get together at a local crèche, and work in theatre, dance, poetry and other performance forms. They have performed in and around their area, and as far afield as Ladysmith.

Siyathuthuka Theatre Company is based in Lindelani, and group members come from near-by Kwamashu and Ntuzuma. The 15 members get together at a local hall to rehearse under the directorship of Siyabonga Mthembu, and their productions have won awards at a number of local community theatre festivals.
Izwi Youth Movement is based at Mpophomeni near Howick. This ten-member group, founded by Sanele Gumede, are associated with the larger group of Mphompeni Youth Theatre. They have a good relationship with the local municipality and with the Department of Arts and Culture in Peitermaritzburg.

All of the new groups are looking forward to embarking on this journey with Twist, on a path to developing their organisational and artistic skills, and building themselves into more sustainable, lasting organisations.

The first part of the new Twist cycle starts at the end of October, where the groups will come together in Durban for an induction workshop, and a session on workshopping new plays, led by the award-winning theatre-maker, Neil Coppen. The groups will then participate in an exchange programme that introduces them to the Stut Community Theatre group from the Netherlands, who will be performing in Durban courtesy of funding from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and who will conduct a workshop for the group members exploring new theatre styles.

Performances
The Stut group will perform a double bill of their shows “Buddy” and “Mahmoud” at the University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg campus on Tuesday 29 November, followed by a talk on community theatre by internationally renowned theatre expert, Eugene van Erven.
The shows will also be performed for the public at 3pm on Saturday 2 November, at the Stable Theatre in Durban, and over the course of the weekend at the Isigcawu Festival at the Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre in KwaMashu.
We look forward to a great start to our new cycle.