The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is proud to announce the panel of judges who will adjudicate the 2015 ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals, which takes place on November 6.

A group of respected professionals working across a variety of contexts will convene to judge this year’s entries for the ImpACT Awards. The group comprises one of South Africa’s most celebrated songstresses Sibongile Khumalo, fine arts and arts education associate professor at the Wits School of Arts, David Andrew, choreographer and executive director of the Tribhangi Dance Theatre and ACT trustee, Jayesperi Moopen, actress and Soweto Theatre’s artistic director Warona Seane and arts and culture development expert and consultant David Thatanelo April.

Public nominations for the ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals, sponsored by the Distell Foundation and supported by Sun International closed on September 6, and this year dance was added to four existing categories – visual art, theatre, music and singing and design.

The awards are presented annually to honour young artists who have reached a professional standing in their discipline, and are within the first five years of their professional careers.

This year’s finalists are:

• Dance: Angelique Harris has represented South Africa with great pride over the past 10 years. Ranked 11th in the world for rhythmic gymnastics in 2005 she went on to be the only South African to study at the Royal Ballet School in Whitelodge, London in 20 years. As a young choreographer, her works earned her numerous accolades including the Drum Café Choreographic Award, SAIBC contemporary gold medal, YAGP New York silver medal, CIBC USA contemporary and musicality award and the VKIBC New York bronze contemporary medal. Letlhogonolo Nche graduated from Moving Into Dance Mophatong (MIDM) in 2009. In 2010 he started to work as a freelancer and taught at companies such as Virgin Active South Africa and worked with schools such as Pabalelo Primary School and Olehile Secondary School. He had the opportunity to perform in a piece choreographed by Thabo Rapoo at the launch of BIG BROTHER AFRICA and the show was broadcast live on MNet. He continued to perform MIDM’s repertoires as a student, choreographed by the world renowned choreographer Gregory Maqoma. Letlhogonolo became a choreographer under the Youth Choreographers Professional development programme facilitated by Alfred Hinkel and John Linden. Through this programme he was selected to choreograph works for Dance Umbrella in 2013 and 2014. His first Dance Umbrella piece was Battle Field followed by the 2014 choreography of Violence My Foot. In 2013 he founded Northern Cape Dance Pages, a dance festival in Partnership with Mayibuye Dance Academy. Sunnyboy Motau was named among the 2015 Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans set to shape the future. Beginning in community arts groups in Alexandra, he formally trained at Moving into Dance Mophatong (MIDM) continuing to dance and choreograph there. His collaborative commission by the Dance Umbrella 2015 was among the top three of the festival. He has collaborated with Jessica Nupen on a piece called Romeo and Juliet “rebellion in Johannesburg” which is currently running in 5 cities in Germany. Motau is also in talks with the Market Theatre for a collaborative theatre piece to be staged at the theatre in 2016.
• Design: Laurie Wiid van Heerden was born in 1987 in Cape Town, South Africa. After gaining ample practical experience in the field of design and manufacturing and also being the assistant to Wim Botha for almost three years, Wiid Design was officially created. The business started designing and producing products from 2010. Laurie sees his work as an interface between art and design. His large-scale, limited edition benches have garnered global attention at Design Days Dubai, Design Miami/Basel in Switzerland and Design Miami in the US, exhibited as part of the prestigious Southern Guild portfolio. A keen collaborator, Laurie often works with artists and designers, like Lionel Smit, Wim Botha, Atang Tshikare, dhk Architects and Ceramic Matters, on projects aimed at pushing boundaries and experimenting with new materials. Sphiwe Giba is a Johannesburg-based illustrator with a broad knowledge and understanding of trends and movements. Founder of the company Juxtapoz Concepts, a dynamic creative solutions company established in 2012, Sphiwe thrives on the concepts of innovation and research, which is seen through his body of creative work. From public sculptures, branding, textile design to product design, Sphiwe believes his illustrated designs are for people who love, care and appreciate creativity. Shawn Lukas was born and bred in Taung, North West. He lives and works in Joburg as a designer by day, composer by night, and illustrator in between. His work is largely influenced by human behaviours and relationships towards the planet’s resources and living beings. From paintings to animation, picture books and games, Lukas’ work takes many forms.
• Music & Singing: Lindiwe Maxolo is the 2014 Mbokodo Woman in Jazz award winner and is known for her enchanting and magical voice. She has a Cum Laude, Honours degree in Jazz Music graduate from the University of Cape Town. TIME, her debut solo Jazz album which has earned multiple award nominations, including: The SATMA Awards 2014 as Best African Jazz Album, and Wawela Music Awards 2014/2015 as Best Creative Album of the Year and Best Female Artist Composer. She was also nominated for a South African Music Award (SAMA) in 2013 and is the winner of the 2002 Afro Vocal Category in the Old Mutual Jazz Encounters Competition. Tumi Mogorosi is a SAMA award nominee and 2014 Standard Bank Ovation Award recipient from Johannesburg. He is increasingly building a reputation in the South African jazz scene among the new crop of young jazz musicians. He has performed alongside trumpeter Feya Faku, bassist Herbie Tsoaeli as well as Andile Yenana. Tumi Mogorosi was also part of the Gauteng Jazz Orchestra which opened the stage for world-renowned American Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis during his 2011 première of the Joy of Jazz. Thandi Ntuli started playing the piano at the age of 4. Her professional career has included working with Judith Sephuma, The Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, Jimmy Dludlu, Thandiswa Mazwai, Andy Narell, Selaelo Selota, Neo Muyanga, Marcus Wyatt, Nomfundo Xaluva, Steve Dyer, QB Smith (UK), Zara McFarlane (UK), SirLSG, Nils Janson (SWE) and Lex Futshane, to name a few. Her studio work includes recording on Lwanda Gogwana’s debut album, Chapter One, which later was nominated for 3 South African Music Awards and Steve Dyer’s album Confluence. Her studio jazz album titled The Offering – launched in September 2014 – has received both critical acclaim and many award nominations including a MetroFM Award in 2015 and Mbokodo Award both in 2014 and 2015.
• Theatre: Quintin Wils graduated from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) with an Honours Degree in Drama. Not even 2 years into the industry, Wils has been named as SA Celebrity Online Magazine’s Top Theatre Maker to look out for in 2015; has directed 13 professional productions, won 2 Awards and has been nominated for a further nine awards including three Naledi Theatre Awards. Wils was also named as one of the ‘Rising Stars’ of the 2014 National Arts Festival and one of Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South African’s, he is currently the Artistic Director of both AbstrACT Productions and VNA Productions. Thenx is a sketch comedy group made up of four young women who met at the University of the Witwatersrand. Kitty Moepang (26), Tumy Motsoatsoe (27), MoMo Matsunyane (27), and Zethu Dlomo (26) are passionate about creating work that holds up a critical mirror to society. They are known for their use of satire and parody to capture the tensions and struggles of everyday life in a comical way. POPArt is an independent theatre space in the Maboneng Precinct (JHB INNER CITY) and production company run by Hayleigh Evans & Orly Shapiro. The theatre opened in March 2011 and has since showcased over 100 brand new theatre works over the past 3 years. In 2015, they launched POPArt productions, which produces in-house cutting edge works. 
• Visual Arts: Fortune Bengu was born in Ulundi, South Africa in 1989. He primarily works as an arts administrator, but also as a curator and artist. Bengu completed a B-Tech Degree in Fine Art at the Durban University of Technology (DUT). He has participated in many exhibitions locally and abroad and has curated a number of successful exhibitions. He is the newly appointed vice-chairperson of the executive committee of the Friends of the Durban Art Gallery. Benon Lutaaya from Johannesburg has been aull time artist since 2011. Unable to afford art supplies, he improvised with waste paper material from the streets of Joburg. Within 4 years his career is making waves. The 2015 ‘Bright Young Thing’ by Art Africa magazine, has donated over R400 000 to different charities, a co-sponsor 2015 Reinhold Cassirer Award, an annual contributor to Ithuba Arts Fund, and recipient of the 2016 European-based residency award by the Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art (SAFFCA), 2015 support grant by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), Ithuba Arts Fund grant, the Bag Factory residency, Lovell gallery Artists Competition winner, and finalist BBC MyWorld documentary competition. Loyiso Mkize is a South African visual artist and was born in Butterworth. He studied at CPUT in Cape Town where he received his diploma qualification in graphic design. He recently founded his own visual arts and communication company Loyiso Mkize Art (Pty) which publishes the energetic South African superhero comic book, KWEZI. He also illustrates the Supa Strikas comic book that comes with the Sunday World, You, Drum and Huisgenoot print publications every month. When Loyiso is not illustrating comics, he paints.

ACT CEO Pieter Jacobs says: “The ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals highlight exceptional talent in the industry. This spotlight creates a platform for these young individuals who might not otherwise receive this kind of recognition – recognition that has the potential to powerfully propel sustainable careers in a highly competitive industry.”

Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony scheduled to take place at Sandton’s The Maslow on November 6 and will receive a cash prize of R2 000, a certificate, a spread in Creative Feel Magazine worth over R30 000 and additional PR opportunities that will be generated through the ACT Awards.

The ImpACT Award recipients will also get ongoing backing from ACT in the form promotional support in their professional careers.

Featuring prominently as part of the ACT Awards are the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards. These awards are awarded to deserving individuals who have made a profound impact and who have contributed significantly to the enrichment of the arts and culture environment in South Africa during their lives. The categories for Lifetime Achievement Awards are Visual Arts, Theatre, Arts Advocacy, Music and Literature.

For more information about the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT)visit www.act.org.za.