The state of professional drama in the Free State: an investigation into professional drama more than 10 years post re-structuring of the Free State Performing Arts Council (PACOFS)

Abstract

English: The Drama Department of the Performing Arts Council of the Free State (PACOFS) represented, for many years, the Professional Drama Company in the Free State. This department was closed down on the 30th of March 1997 as part of the restructuring of the Performing Arts Councils in South Africa in accordance with the stipulations of the White Paper on Arts and Culture of 1996. The major reason for the necessity of this restructuring was the public and government perception of the resident companies within Performing Arts Councils being predominantly white, and being concerned with predominantly Euro-centric productions to the exclusion of other cultural and artistic groups in South Africa. The White Paper proposed a dismantling of resident companies in favour of individual artists and companies applying to a National Arts Council for funding for projects and performing arts initiatives (including funding for private Drama Companies as institutions), then approaching the Performing Arts Councils for assistance with the staging of these projects, where the Performing Arts Council's role would be one of facilitating projects rather than producing them itself - as had been the case with the old Performing Arts Councils. The aim was for the Performing Arts Council to be more accessible to a wider base of artists and in so doing allow for a greater diversity of work to be produced and subsequently staged through the Performing Arts Council's facilitation of this work. This study investigates primarily what has happened in terms of Drama Companies in Bloemfontein (as representative of Free State trends) and compares them in nature and works undertaken to the former PACOFS Drama. The study attempts to provide a modest contribution to the activities of Professional Drama Companies in the Free State after dismantling of the Performing Arts Council resident Drama Company and proposes to render insights and recommendations for the future sustainability of Drama Companies as regards their current and future functions, activities and existence. Findings pertain to activities of Free State artists more than ten years after closure of the PACOFS Drama Department and provide insights into the accessibility of new funding structures and the Performing Arts Council to these artists. Qualitative findings pertaining to perceptions on the part of professionals, students and companies involved in the Free State Drama industry regarding Arts transformation render insights for possible change and redression. The following findings emerge: Drama productions continue to be staged by private companies in the Free State who make use of both local and outside professional artists as required by the production. Funding for these projects is secured from the National Arts Council, but to a lesser degree than other private and corporate sources or from the National Lottery. White Paper stipulations for transformation of PACOFS were followed and mandates seem to have been adhered to, but the greater accessibility of the facilities and services of the Playhouse is not perceived by artists as having had a beneficial effect on Free State Drama. The development of Arts festivals, most notably Volksblad Kunstefees, has become the most viable platform for presenting local work, and artists' only involvement with PACOFS is the extent to which PACOFS services and facilities are utilized by the festivals. Perceptions on the part of role-players in Free State Drama is that generally a redression of existing structures and Arts policy is required.Afrikaans: Die Toneelafdeling van die Uitvoerende-kunsteraad van die Vrystaat (PACOFS/SUKOVS), is vanaf die inhuldiging van die Kunsterade in Suid Afrika die tuiste van professionele of sogenamde beroepstoneel. As sulks was die vaste toneelgeselskappe verbonde aan dié rade as die land se vernaamste verhoogkunstenaars beskou. Hierdie afdeling is op 30 Maart 1997 gesluit as deel van die herstrukturering van die Uitvoerende-kunsterade in Suid Afrika, ooreenkomstig die bepalinge van die Witskrif op Kuns en Kultuur van 1996. Die hoofrede vir die noodsaaklikheid van hierdie herstrukturering was die publieke- en regerings persepsie van die vaste geselskappe binne die Kunsterade, as hoofsaaklik wit en met eurosentriese produksies bemoeid met die uitsluiting van ander kulturele- en artistieke groepe in Suid- Afrika. Die Witskrif op Kuns en Kultuur stel 'n ontbinding van dié geselskappe voor, ten gunste van die individuele kunstenaars en geselskappe wat dan by die Nasionale Kunsteraad aansoeke om befondsing moet rig. Hierna nader die kunstenaar die Nasionale Kunsteraad en word die rol van die Streekskunsteraad ondersteunend van aard, met die verskaffing van dienste, tegniese benodigdhede en bystand by die aanbied van die kunstenaar/geselskap se produksie. Die rol is dan in teenstelling met die vorige produksiehuisrol wat die Uitvoerende-kunsterade vervul het. Die regering se doel hiermee was vir die Streekuitvoerendekunsteraad om meer toeganklik te wees vir 'n groter en meer verteenwoordigende basis van kunstenaars en om sodoende 'n wyer verskeidenheid werk aan te bied, deur die Kunsteraad se fasilitering in plaas van sy eie uitsluitlike .aanbieding daarvan. Die studie ondersoek primêr die verskynsel van onafhanklike toneelgeselskappe in Bloemfontein (as verteenwoordigend van 'n Vrystaatse tendens) en vergelyk die bedrywighede van dié geselskappe met die voormalige SUKOVS Toneelgeselskap. Die studie poog om 'n beskeie bydrae te lewer ten opsigte van bedrywighede van Professionele Toneelgeselskappe in die Vrystaat na die ontbinding van die SUKOVS vastetoneelgeselskap en poog om insigte en aanbevelings vir die toekomstige lewensvatbaarheid van toneelgeselskappe in die Vrystaat te verskaf. Huidige en toekomstige funksie, bedrywighede en bestaan aan die hand van professionele opinie op dié gebied word beskryf. Bevindinge uit hierdie studie het betrekking op die aktiwiteite van toneelspelers in die Vrystaat meer as tien jaar na die sluiting van die SUKOVS Toneelafdeling en poog om insig te verskaf ten opsigte van die toeganklikheid van nuwe strukture vir befondsing asook toegangklikheid van die Uitvoerendekunsteraad vir kunstenaars. Kwalitatiewe bevindinge het betrekking op die persepsies van professionele toneelspelers, drama studente en toneelgeselskappe as rolspelers in die Vrystaat Toneelindustrie en poog om insigte te verskaf ten opsigte van Kunstetransformasie in die provinsie asook moontlike aanbevelings vir verandering. Die volgende bevindinge kan uitgesonder word: Toneelproduksies word steeds deur onafhanklike toneelgeselskappe in die Vrystaat aangebied en daar word van plaaslike en buite kunstenaars gebruik gemaak soos deur die produksie verlang. Befondsing vir hierdie projekte word tot 'n mindere mate vanaf die Nasionale Kunsteraad verkry, maar eerder vanaf private en korporatiewe bronne en die Nasionale Lotery. Witskrif bepalinge vir transformasie van PACOFS is gevolg en dit blyk dat daar by mandate gehou word, maar dat die toeganklikheid van fasiliteite en dienste nie volgens kunstenaars 'n voordelige effek op Vrystaat Toneel gehad het nie. Die ontwikkeling van Kunstefeeste, hoofsaaklik Volksblad Kunstefees, het die platform van keuse vir kunstenaars vir die aanbieding van hulle werk geword, waar betrokkenheid by PACOFS beperk is tot die PACOFS fasiliteite en dienste wat deur die kunstefees gebruik word. Rolspelers in Vrystaat Toneel is van mening dat daar 'n algehele transformasie van strukture en kunstebeleid moet plaasvind.