09/07/2025
Open Letter to the Honourable Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture
Subject: Urgent Plea for Transparent Support for Artists Seeking Academic and International Opportunities
Dear Honourable Minister,
I write this letter with a heavy heart, both as a South African artist and a citizen who has long believed in the promise that our country's institutions would uplift and support those who carry the flame of cultural and creative excellence. As a dance practitioner dedicated to the healing and transformative power of the arts, I have been presented with a rare and prestigious opportunity to attend an international dance therapy program in Berlin this coming August. This programme will not only enhance my own practice, but will also allow me to return and share knowledge that can uplift communities here at home.
However, my journey toward trying to access support—be it through public or private funding—has been one marked by confusion, silence, dismissal, and ultimately despair.
Since the beginning of this process, I have sought funding assistance from both the National Arts Council (NAC) and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC). I have been referred back and forth, from NAC to DSAC to National structures and back to NAC, with no clear answers, consistent guidance, or real support. The bureaucracy has been not only exhausting, but deeply disheartening. Most recently, I was told—bluntly and without any constructive explanation—that I would not be receiving assistance. The manner in which this was communicated was dismissive and hurtful, lacking the respect owed to any artist striving to grow and represent our country on global stages.
How can it be that, in a country so rich in artistic talent and cultural heritage, an artist seeking to develop academically and internationally must face such impossible barriers? How is it that the very structures meant to support us often become the greatest obstacles? I speak not only for myself, but for the many other artists whose dreams have quietly died under the weight of administrative red tape, inconsistent policies, and opaque decision-making.
Honourable Minister, we are not asking for handouts—we are asking for access, for transparency, and for a chance to grow and give back. The opportunity I have been offered is not just a personal milestone; it is a bridge between South African dance and global therapeutic practices that can benefit our communities dealing with trauma, inequality, and disconnection.
I urge your office to reflect on the systems currently in place and the silent ways in which they are failing the very people they were meant to serve. I am still holding onto hope that this door may not be fully closed, and that somewhere within the department, there may be someone willing to listen, act, and assist—not just for my sake, but for the sake of all South African artists whose futures are caught in limbo.
With sincerity and the resilience of an artist who refuses to give up,
Hannah van Tonder waMaja
Theatre and Dance Practitioner and Arts Advocate
hannahnvt@gmail.com
+27726964701 SA Creative Network Gayton Mckenzie National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC) Department of Sport, Arts and Culture Gauteng Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation
