The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is proud to announce that young and upcoming designer, Thato Mahlangu, is selected as the winner of the ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme costume and fashion designers gala performance finals event collaboration competition. Mahlangu, will have the opportunity to design costumes for participants showcasing their talents at the prestigious ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Finals Gala Showcase on 28 September 2024 at Carnival City.
The young designer responded to an open call made to costume designers to become part of a significant event that celebrates the arts and empowers young talent. As the event costume designer, Thato Mahlangu will play a vital role in bringing the performances to life through her creative vision and expertise for the ACT Nyoloha Scholarship. This presents a great opportunity for this new creative to gain awareness and exposure – both on and off the stage.
The competition targeted Gauteng-based costume designers with a passion for the arts, a flair for creativity and a keen eye for detail. Selected from multiple entries by esteemed judges Nthabiseng Malaka, the co-designer for Disney’s The Magic Box and brand consultant and fashion industry expert, Leon Haasbroek; Mahlangu, will work closely with the programme’s artistic director, ensuring that the costumes align with the overall artistic vision for the showcase.
Mahlangu puts her heart and soul into every design, ensuring that each piece is thoughtfully crafted. She believes that learning is a lifelong journey and eagerly embraces new experiences and projects as opportunities to grow and expand her skills. Her love for fashion design began in grade two, and her passion for costume design blossomed in her first year out of high school, during an internship in the wardrobe department of the BET mini-series “Madiba.” Having been involved in running a part-time fashion business for seven years Mahlangu recently relaunched her fashion label, Ghetto Royalty Creations. She is delighted to move into designing for performance artist while bringing her designer talent and skills to the stage at the ACT Nyoloha Scholarship event showcase.
The purpose of the ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme is to nurture new talent, even in fields outside the traditional performance arts spectrum, such as the fashion designer’s category, but keeping within the arts and culture sector. According to Jessica Denyschen, Chief Executive Officer of ACT, last year’s introduction of a costume designers’ competition into the Nyoloha Scholarship Programme attracted many aspiring designers who were enthusiastic about displaying their creativity and skills. “This year’s open call has drawn and even larger pool of creatives eager to showcase their talents. The judges had a difficult choice and we are proud to welcome Thato to this year’s event and wish her success as shows her creativity and talents while also inspiring other young designers.”
The ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme is an undergraduate scholarship programme, aimed at providing opportunities for school leavers to pursue a tertiary qualification in the visual and performing arts. In partnership with Nedbank, Sun International, the Market Theatre, the Southern African Music Rights Organisation (SAMRO) and the Dramatic, Artistic and Literary Rights Organisation (DALRO), ACT has offered scholarships since 2009. Following a 2-year interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2022 relaunch of the programme was introduced in partnership with long-term sponsors and partners of ACT, Sun International and Nedbank, as well as MTN South Africa, and Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), under a new organisational strategy. ‘
Through the ACT Nyoloha programme, qualifying talented and ambitious young candidates from across the country are introduced to the world of professional arts. Having started on 8 June, biweekly online training with qualifying candidates are running until mid-August 2024. Artists will be rated by their mentors monthly and those performing the best over this 3-month period will qualify for one of the 15 finalist spots.
The finalists will undergo an intensive week of training, talks and performances, culminating in a showcase and exhibition. Working with industry professionals and experts, participants gained valuable experience and the opportunity to work with other future artists from different backgrounds.
Poovi Pillay, Executive Head of Corporate Social Investment at Nedbank, said: ‘We are excited to see what Thato Mahlangu designs for the finalists to wear on the scholarship gala night. It is a huge event and a superb showcase for her wonderful talent. Creativity in all its forms is one of South Africa’s greatest riches and it should be a thriving economic and employment growth sector. ACT and Nedbank are working together to raise awareness about the Cultural and Creative Industries’ worth and value chain as it needs to offer our dynamic young creatives a sustainable career path.’
Heidi Edson, Group Socioeconomic Development (SED) Specialist at Sun International, says: “At Sun International, our dedication to fostering talent in the arts and culture sector is unwavering. Our enduring partnership with ACT has provided us with the privilege of witnessing the transformative impact of investing in young creatives. Over the years, this collaboration has not only nurtured emerging talent but has also played a crucial role in enriching and expanding the arts and culture economy. Through initiatives like the Nyoloha Scholarship Programme, we remain committed to cultivating an environment where creativity flourishes, enabling future generations to fully explore and realize their artistic potential.”
Niel Nortjé, Manager of the MTN Art Collection, says: “It is always a pleasure to see a young deserving creative be awarded an opportunity to shine on a public platform and showcase her talent. The MTN Foundation’s involvement with the ACT’s Nyoloha Scholarship programme also allows us to execute on our strategic deliverable for the development of training and employment opportunities aimed at our youth. We are proud of Thato and look forward to seeing her creations grace the performers and stage, for the NSP Gala Showcase, and wish her all the very best for this upcoming endeavour.”
The prestigious ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Finals Gala Showcase on 28 September 2024 at Carnival City promises to be a spectacular occasion where the talents of many young people are combined to show how tomorrow’s creatives are shining brightly today.
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