(Image: Mlungisi Mlungwana)
More than a decade after taking the stage to fulfil her dreams – actress and social entrepreneur, Candice Modiselle, found herself in a full circle moment on the very same stage mentoring young thespians who were vying for the ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme.
“This year, God has generously blessed me with countless full-circle moments, one of which was undoubtedly coming back to the ACT stage as both a mentor and host. This opportunity was the perfect culmination of my years of experience and a celebration of how far I’ve come. To be deemed worthy of this moment was nothing shy of an honour,” she says.
Over the past 28 years, the Nedbank Arts Affinity has aided in the advancement of the arts in collaboration with the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT). Nedbank has contributed more than R25 million to the trust for more than 800 arts, culture, and heritage development initiatives in South Africa since the ACT began in 1994. The Arts Affinity is funded by ordinary Nedbank clients who choose to donate and #SupportWhatMatters at no cost to clients.
This year’s performance, titled Abandize (Let Them Rise), saw 15 finalists from across the country battle it out in a final showcase after a week of training and mentoring. The finalists, from visual arts and performance arts, had the opportunity to receive one of two fully funded scholarships, each worth R350 000, to pursue an arts degree at any preferred South African art school.
In 2012 Modiselle was part of the ACT cohort.
“Though I didn’t win, the week of training and mentorship leading to the final showcase, exposed me to what was possible: a thriving career in the arts and a plethora of opportunities to grow in my craft. Most importantly, it was at that stage that I was scouted by my first-ever agent, Jennis Williamson of Talent Etc, who still represents me 11 years later. Oh and did I mention the R5000 prize money from the Nedbank Affinity Programme, which was a major cash contribution to my family,” she says.
In October Modiselle mentored this year’s ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme finalists and hosted the final showcase in which the contestants put together a show directed by fellow thespian Zolani Shangase who has been with the ACT programme since 2020.
“From the display of boldness and craftsmanship to the versatility of the artists we all witnessed that night, I can confidently say that the future of African storytelling is in safe hands. I say this for both the visual and performance mediums. Those kids are gifted!” she says.
At the tender age of 17 Modiselle fell in love with the stage after watching the iconic Woza Albert, a satirical South African political play originally performed by Percy Mtwa and Mbongeni Ngema.
“Only 17 at the time, I was taken. It was that very curtain call, tears trickling down my face, that I knew that I wanted to make audiences feel the way they made me feel. An unquantifiable appreciation for storytelling. I just knew. While some refer to it as their ‘Aha moment’, the lump in my throat let me know that it was divine. Surreal,” she says.
Modiselle hopes that corporates like Nedbank continue to support the arts.
“Despite the current climate of the arts not being supported systematically at the level of what is truly deserved and needed, my desire is for all young people to rise above the odds and beyond their immediate circumstances. Having travelled from various backgrounds, towns and setups, the Nyoloha Programme serves as a refreshing reminder that there are boundless opportunities for all those finalists to thrive in their respective gifts and a confirmation that the industry is not saturated, contrary to what many may believe,” she says.
This year’s performance art showcase was won by Naledi Lebelo, 24, while the visual arts scholarship was won by Azanda Nyangintsimbi.
“The ACT Nyoloha Scholarship Programme significantly contributes to the sustainable development and growth of our arts and culture heritage. The participants are our future rising stars who will advance and preserve our country’s history, present and future narrative through the arts. We believe in these artists and it’s so inspiring to see them pursuing their ambitions and dreams. In the same vein, we cannot wait to see the designs that all the talented young artists in our country send in for the programme’s 2023 T-shirt.’ says Poovi Pillay, Executive Head for Corporate Social Investment (CSI) at Nedbank.
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This post was sponsored by Nedbank and produced by Adspace Studio.
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