We are beaming with pride and happiness after one of the flagship projects we support in Limpopo received the Cultural Tourism Award during the 22nd annual Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Awards, held in Johannesburg on Sunday 13 October 2019.

The partnership between the Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge near Makhado (Louis Trichardt), the CraftArt centre at Victoria Yards in Johannesburg, and Venda and Tsonga artisans in northern Limpopo has proved to be a great success, and this win appropriately reflects the hard work and dedication put into this project.

The Cultural Tourism Award recognises business support of arts and culture projects that contribute towards the growth of communities, create jobs and support the opportunities provided by local tourism.

The annual BASA Awards is the only awards ceremony that acknowledges business support of, and partnerships with, the arts community in South Africa.

We are thrilled that this project has been recognised for initiating innovative product development and creating market access opportunities for northern Limpopo artisans. It has achieved this by organising arts and culture tours to the rural villages in the Soutpansberg area and by presenting and selling heritage-inspired arts and crafts products at Madi a Thavha Mountain Lodge and the CraftArt centre at Victoria Yards.

This award reaffirms the NAC’s core mission to promote the free and creative expression of South Africa’s cultures through the arts. It further strengthens our resolve to continue to be a catalyst for social cohesion and contribute to the evolution of a unique, diverse and inclusive South African identity.