ABOUT
Open Culture Foundation (OCF) is a non-profit creative arts services organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through programmes, and services to our members - artists, art and cultural institutions, policymakers, and the public.
ACTIVE PROGRAMMES:
Three Month Internship – OCF Professional Arts Development Programme (PADP): Theatre, Festivals, and Major Events
OCF in collaboration with Maynardville OpenAir Festival launched Professional Arts Development Programme (PADP) in Q1 2023. Aimed at bridging the gap between institutional training and workplace experience, this programme teaches recent graduates in situ how to implement all aspects of technical theatre – lights, sound, set, wardrobe, and stage management – but also the running of a commercial entertainment unit, audience logistics, ticket sales, front of house and audience experience aspects of theatre making.
Our inaugural 2023 Maynardville class was a cohort of twelve trainees, who served as Festival Crew under the close tutorship of industry professionals. Maynardville proved to be the perfect platform to empower these young professionals and expose them to a wide variety of theatre genres, from orchestra and opera to Shakespeare and dance.
At the end of their three-month internship, graduated students were equipped with the practical skill set and could apply for professional employment as they will hold relevant work experience. Our class of 2023 are now employed on local and international stages around the world.
As the programme was a raging success, both for the participants, and the festival, we have over the last while codified the programme, and we are honoured to be working with VR Theatrical and the Maynardville Festival once again, in the 2024 season. We are also now open to similar collaborations with other festivals. To apply for next year, or request more information on the financial benefits and how to roll out the programme at your festival, please email: padp@openculturefoundation.org
https://www.instagram.com/maynardville/?hl=en
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Learn more about OCF:
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
OCF is a non-profit creative arts service organisation dedicated to promoting cross-cultural understanding and exposure of emerging and locally recognised creatives, to art and cultural organizations internationally. OCF fulfils its mission by providing programmes and services to artists, art and cultural organizations, policymakers, and the public.
OUR COMMITMENTS
We believe that art should not only delight audiences around the world but can be put to use to generate a new operating system - one that heartens partakers to question the world they live in. It should at minimum, instil mutual respect and inclusivity, while still promoting excellence and innovation.
At OCF we pledge to:
Industry Commitment:
Our vision is to establish ourselves as a global industry leader in the Performing Arts that empowers and trains African talent while providing professional platforms globally to showcase our homegrown talent.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:
At the OCF we believe that diversity for us is about the Art Sector attracting and developing talented people, precisely because of the breadth of their different backgrounds, experiences, cultures and views. We are committed to using OCF to create a platform that will instil mutual respect across all borders, and create a more inclusive world.
Sustainability:
We recognise global warming as a real threat, and every decision we make directly impacts our environment. As responsible citizens, we will do everything in our power to keep our emissions low. While at present, one cannot fully commit to zero emissions, we will track
and offset our emissions every year, and develop strategies our members (starting with member organisations) can implement to reduce theirs, year-on-year drastically.
OUR ORIGINS
Born from dance, OCF was originally named The Cape Dance Company (CDC) which was established in 1995, under the leadership of Debbie Turner.
CDC has an impressive international track record, having completed four seasons at the Edinburgh Arts Festival and a season at the Salisbury Arts Festival (UK), as well as performances at the prestigious Alvin Ailey Theater (New York) and Busan Biennale (South Korea). The company's numerous local performances include the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, Dance Factory in Johannesburg and an annual season at the Artscape Theatre Centre in Cape Town.
Our Facebook page and other online sources feature our work over the past 17 years:
https://www.facebook.com/capedancecompany/
https://www.whatsonincapetown.com/post/profile-cape-dance-academy/
https://creativefeel.co.za/tag/cape-dance-company
https://infectingthecity.com/2015/artist/cape-dance-company
IN THE NEWS
https://thecaperobyn.co.za/taking-south-african-art-to-the-global-stage/
See our Instagram Profile (icon below) for more recent activity.
CONTACT US
For more details on our programmes, or to volunteer, please contact us by email: foh@openculturefoundation.org
