The MTN SA Foundation and the Imbali Visual Literacy Project celebrate their enduring partnership with the launch of new video content for the Adventuring Into Art website. This partnership, spanning over 23 years, has received recognition from the Business & Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards more than once, for its contributions to increasing access to arts and community development.
The Imbali Artbooks: Adventuring Into Art, launched in 2018, showcase artworks by South African artists, many sourced from the MTN Art Collection. By integrating these artworks into educational resources, the MTN Foundation aims to increase their value and accessibility while honouring the artists.
In 2021, the partnership introduced the Adventuring Into Art website, complementing the existing books and providing a dynamic platform for engagement. This digital extension allows for continuous updates and supplementary materials, ensuring wider reach and impact.
Approximately 1080 schools across South Africa have benefited from the book roll-out-and-workshop programme. To further extend their reach, Imbali produced fourteen short films, including instructional videos and artist interviews, aimed at enhancing a deeper engagement with both looking at art and making art.
The instructional videos cover topics such as colour mixing, still-life painting, drawing, sculpture, and visual literacy. The artist interview series features prominent South African artists, namely, Usha Seejarim, Keith Dietrich, Omar Badsha, Pat Mautloa, Jo Ractliffe, Mongezi Ncaphayi, and Bongi Bengu, discussing their work and its inclusion in the Imbali Artbooks.
Notably, the production process of the artist interview series involved high school learners and students, providing them with valuable experience in online research, journalism, media, and communications. This aligns with the MTN Foundation’s focus on digital skills training for youth empowerment.
A quantitative analysis report demonstrates the significant impact of the programme, with over a million learners benefiting from improved arts education between 2019 and 2023. The Adventuring Into Art website has garnered thousands of visitors globally, showcasing the project’s international appeal and influence.
MTN Foundation and Imbali invite stakeholders to celebrate these achievements at the launch event, emphasising their commitment to accessible and meaningful art education.
The launch event will take place at the Zeitz MOCAA (Museum of Contemporary Art Africa) in Cape Town on April 13th, 2024.
For more information on the event, contact Justine Watterson justolof@gmail.com or Niel Nortje niel.norte@mtn.com
