Social Impact Arts Prize 2020 Finalists Announced
Following a rigorous and inspiring assessment of the submissions by an international panel of judges, six projects have been announced as finalists of the inaugural Social Impact Arts Prize.
“The finalists have developed strong interdisciplinary creative concepts that come to life through diverse and divergent projects aiming at making a social impact,” says Roelof van Wyk, Co-Director of the Social Impact Arts Prize 2020.
“The finalists have carefully considered and researched ways in which creative thinking can influence, affect, or simply make us more aware of societal conditions in our world today,” comments Hanneli Rupert, Co-Director and Chairwoman, of the Social Impact Arts Prize 2020.
Each of the finalists, in completely different ways, offers compelling and creative arts-based ideas to start a conversation and to address a particularly pressing social challenge that confronts the Karoo-based town of Graaff-Reinet. In the words of one of the esteemed judges, Aliki Lampropoulos, Head of International Development – Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens: “It’s been an incredibly inspirational experience – creativity at its best! I learned so much about the history and geography of the area, as well as the current challenges.”
Here are the six SIAP 2020 Finalists in no particular order:
Hello Wolk!
by studioMAS and Gustav Praekelt, is a water-scarcity focused project that begins as an artwork, provides a certain amount of water, whilst also connecting to the community digitally. This artwork – created in the hieroglyphic style of the Khoi-Khoi and the San (makers of mankind’s first artworks in the Karoo caves of Graaff-Reinet) – will be built in the image of a rain cloud that collects water from the atmosphere which can be used to water a garden beneath the cloud structure.
The cloud will also operate as a symbol of the digital cloud – offering free community wifi and as a hub for community-based information. Young women living in the town will be taught to code, and update the cloud with Health, Education and Literacy content, as well as information the community feels, is needed.
Revealing The City
by Kim Lieberman & Paragon Architects, will use lace as a visual metaphor to reflect on the potential of an inclusive society where individuals lives are closely woven together, and also to resemble the complexities of our histories, politics and people. Using visual markers like real-world physical ‘pins’ to signify important points within Graaff-Reinet. A mobile app that functions as a woven digital map, reflecting the project will guide visitors through a unique real-world experience and allow them to engage as well as contribute their own connections.
The Long Table Project
by Kasthuri Naidoo & Ayesha Mukadam, will look at sharing food as a means to rebuild connections across geographical and social boundaries.
The Long Table Project will focus on Market Square – a common meeting point and trading area for all people prior to the Group Areas Act of the 1950’s which divided the town. Connecting three racially different areas of the town – central Graaff-Reinet, Umasizakhe and Kroonvale – the project will reinvigorate this area to create an open-air long table food experience.
All three communities will be invited to share in traditional food projects – as well as seeding the start of an indigenous food garden, combined with localised food heritage education and the activity of wild foraging in order to create a long-lasting legacy for the project, and address sustainability.
PLANTed
by Lorenzo Nassimbeni, Andrew Brose & Casper Lundie, is a public project which gives visibility to the loss of local knowledge of medicinal plants and recognising the under-represented disciplines of craft, tech know-how, local food culture, architecture and indigenous languages.
This project will celebrate the plant life of Graaff-Reinet, whilst engaging local groups in the production and presentation of a central built structure for artists, designers and the local community to exhibit their plant knowledge and bring to light these overlooked aspects of culture and place that are often concealed.
Tears Become Rain
by David Brits & Raiven Hansmann, is a mass choir programme in response to the climate crisis.
The creation of this choir aims to instil hope and unite a diverse community by singing together for rain. Drawing on the rich choral history of the greater region, this project uses song as a tool to educate people about our precious water resources– whilst uniting people in their shared predicament. The narrative of Tears Become Rain is a story that follows the journey of a young San boy in a time of great drought. Crying, his tears of grief turn into rain and restore abundance to the world. Connecting contemporary lives to a story from our shared pasts is intended as an inspirational act.
Mirage
by Studio August, is a public-space, sculptural concept that will act as a meeting place for sharing and contemplations.
‘Mirage’ is an execution that will evoke an ancient landscape through the mediums of sculpture and artificial light. In stark contrast to the water-rich Karoo of millions of years ago, contemporary Graaff-Reinet is becoming more and more water-scarce as a result of desertification.
Placed in a public space, the artworks aim to conjure feelings of hope and renewal, allowing people to connect to each other by vividly imagining ancient memories of water coming to tangible life. At night it will be illuminated and become a sanctuary of light in the Karoo, reinstating Graaff-Reinet as an oasis.
Overview of the Prize
A new South African art prize with a focus on social impact that has a direct, measurable effect on individuals and communities has been launched.
Supported by the non-profit Rupert Art Foundation and the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch, the Social Impact Arts Prize calls for arts-based activities, projects or programmes in specific categories in South Africa – education, employment, community, environment, technology and direct arts – where social impact can be both qualitatively and quantitatively measured.
“Through this competition we would like to contribute to the very inspiring communities in South Africa and the world who are already using creativity to tackle social injustices,” says Executive Chairwoman and
Co-Director, Hanneli Rupert.
Unlike most established art competitions in South Africa which focus specifically on fine art – this initiative will provide a different lens on art practices and their role in communities – how a great idea has the potentialto motivate, inspire and help a group of people, and be used as a catalyst for change.
Artists, architects and engineers, landscapers, environmentalists, creative visionaries and other experienced community-based creatives are invited to submit impactful, creative and meaningful ideas and concepts for the award’s consideration.
“It’s incredibly exciting to operate in a time where the arts can be developed as instruments of change. Imagining new ways of integrating art, society and the environment are being explored. We believe that a prize of this type will draw attention towards arts practices which can point towards societal change,” says Director, Roelof van Wyk.
The Social Impact Arts Prize launched in 2019 in Johannesburg, supported by online and offline workshops to create effective proposal guidance for entrants. The announcement of the winner will take place in March 2020 at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch and the final project will open to the public in Graaff-Reinet in July 2020.
“Graaff-Reinet has been selected as the site for several reasons. It’s unique landscape – which already draws leading palaeontologists and environmentalists from around the world – reminds us of the deeper picture. Its location in relation to the country’s major cities will allow breathing room for creative ideas to grow. And hopefully, in time, we can continue to build on the legacy of the town as a “Museum without Walls,” concludes Hanneli Rupert.
The Judging Panel
Michelle Constant – Chairperson of the Judging Panel, ZA
Aliki Lampropoulos – Head of International Development – Museum of Cycladic Art in Athens, GR
Suhair Khan – Strategy & Ops – Google | Project Lead – Google Arts & Culture, UK
Azu Nwagbogu – Founder and Director of African Artists’ Foundation (AAF), NIG
Salma Tuqan – Deputy Director, Delfina Foundation, UK
Allan Schwarz – Mezimbite Forest Centre Director, MOZ
Marlon Parler – Impact Entrepreneur, ZA
Listen to our Workshop podcasts which we ran across South Africa for entrants in 2019, so you can catch up on the learnings and be inspired wherever you are.
Welcome and SIAP Overview:
“Museum without Walls”
A Global Case Study
“Re-Building a Community”
Director, SIAP, Roelof van Wyk
“The Geoglyph Project – working in the Karoo”
Anni Snyman, Site-Specific
Michelle Constant – Chairperson of the Judging Panel
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If you’ve been inspired by the idea of using the arts as a catalyst for societal change, and have colleagues who would share your enthusiasm, please share this with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Social Impact Arts Prize is a new art prize with a focus on social impact that has a direct, measurable effect on individuals and communities, as a result of a site-specific arts-based activity, project or programme, in and around the town of Graaff-Reinet and the Valley of Desolation in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.
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The idea came from a longstanding interest in the intersection between the arts, science, social impact and the environment. So marrying the arts and its potential as a catalyst for change with a social impact initiative resulted in the Social Impact Arts Prize.
Executive Chairwoman, Hanneli Rupert, also grew up surrounded by art, artists and people with a passion for their community and the natural world, and feels strongly about passing this knowledge forward. As a keen proponent in the concept of a Museum without Walls – a democratic space for learning, without entrance fees or predefined opening hours – her hope is to bring this concept to life in Graaff-Reinet. Rupert sees the Museum without Walls as a living residency space for thinkers whose ideas the Social Impact Arts Prize will potentially help to realise and will, in turn, benefit the greater community.
Unlike most established art competitions which focus specifically on fine art – this initiative will also provide a different lens on art practices and their role in communities – how a great idea has the potential to motivate, inspire and help a group of people, and be used as a catalyst for change.
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We are calling for artists, architects and engineers, landscapers, environmentalists, creative visionaries and other experienced community-based creatives to enter – creative individuals who know how to deliver on a plan. Ideally, candidates should have experience in the workplace and be adept at managing teams. It’s open to collaborations, collectives and partnerships too – but most importantly – we are looking for groundbreaking ideas.
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The call for entries opens on Wednesday 11 September 2019.
Participants need to register on www.socialimpactartsprize.org
On registration, participants will receive an entry number.
The closing date for registrations is Sunday 1 December 2019.
The closing date for submissions is Sunday 15 December 2019. -
The entry needs to be uploaded onto www.socialimpactartsprize.org as a word document, PDF, jpeg, movie or animation (or a combination of these formats) so that international judges are able to view the submissions on a computer screen from anywhere in the world.
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Written proposals, photographs, sketches or any other visual material will be accepted. Submissions must include the following:
i) Project concept
ii) Project plan
iii) Production schedule or time plan
iv) Budget plan and estimatePlease register on www.socialimpactartsprize.org for more detailed information to be delivered on the 11th of September.
The website includes a set of due diligence questions that will also help the artist explain the project from concept to execution, test its robustness as a social impact project and complete the submission from a timing and budget perspective.
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Between 11 September and 1 December 2019, we will be holding a series of workshops in Johannesburg, Cape Town and various centres across South Africa. These will be recorded and available on the website. Draft proposals can be submitted for preliminary feedback on the quality of its completion and NOT the project itself.
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The prize focuses on specific categories in South Africa where social impact can be qualitatively and quantitatively measured. These categories are education, employment, community, environment, technology and direct arts, as well as the overlap of any of these.
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There is no entry fee.
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We are not necessarily limiting the result to one proposal only and so the budget depends entirely on the winning proposal or proposals. We will supply guidelines for budget construction, but ultimately, each budget will be determined by the artist’s concept. The budget will form part of the evaluation criteria, which will then be discussed and refined upon being awarded.
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The Rupert Art Foundation is funding the Social Impact Arts Prize and the Rupert Museum will host the shortlisted and awarded projects.
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We are looking at an international panel of esteemed individuals who have proven expertise in arts, culture, community and social practices. The judges will be announced.
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Graaff-Reinet is the birthplace of Anton Rupert and the home to much of the philanthropic work that the Rupert Foundations support. This is another way in which to give back to a community that already has familial links, and the Social Impact Arts Prize will add another stream to the way in which the Foundations support Graaff-Reinet.
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The awarded project – be it an individual, partnership, collaboration or collective – will need to implement the winning project on site. Much like an artists residency, the team will be accommodated in Graaff-Reinet for the duration of the time it takes to build, work with people from the local community, complete training or skills transfer where necessary.
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The advisory panel will include representation from Graaff-Reinet.
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While the judging panel will develop a matrix within which they will agree to adjudicate each entry, some key notions would be creativity, imagination, professionalism, sustainability, site response and the impact on the engaged community.
