FairPlay Media Release

Media Release

FairPlay

A collective of creative arts organisations concerned with and dedicated to the promotion of the arts and cultural development in the inner city have come together to work on a project FairPlay. This initiative forms part of the Club of Good Hope Project based in Germany

The collective includes the Boitumelo Project, Hillbrow Theatre Project, Kids Week, the Oasis Youth Centre and the Hillbrow Community Music Centre, all projects of the Lutheran Community Outreach Foundation, and Democracy Begins in Conversation, Creative Voices, Wits School of the Arts, Leselo Project and the Drill Hall.

FairPlay is a creative response to the events planned during the 2010 Football World Cup engaging children, youth and adults from the inner city of Johannesburg and beyond. There is much concern regarding the extended mid year school holiday during the 2010 Football World Cup. It begs the question: Where are the children when the adults are at play? There are concerns regarding child trafficking and drug trade targeting youth and children during this event. Child rights organisations have warned that the “2010 Fifa World Cup could provide an ideal market for child traffickers, especially since South Africa has no specific legislation criminalising this growing scourge”.

We hope to create safe FairPlay spaces where children and youth can be involved in a variety of creative arts activities during this period and beyond. It is also an undertaking to develop the capacity of children, youth and adults to participate in transforming “unfairness” to “fairness” in their world.

An exciting programme of activities is being planned for the 4 week holiday break which include drama workshops, craft workshops, drumming workshops, interactive art tours to Museum Africa, Standard Bank Art Gallery and the Johannesburg Art Gallery, and watching soccer at the Hillbrow Theatre and other venues at the premises of the Foundation.

The event will culminate in a procession on Saturday 10th July, which will include site specific performances, from the Hillbrow Theatre to the Drill Hall and ending at Constitution Hill. There will be a series of exhibitions and performances at Constitution Hill during this time.

For more information on FairPlay contact:

Erica Luttich ericaluttich@gmail.com
Gerard Bester gerardb@mweb.co.za
Betsi Pendry bitpendry@mweb.co.za
Wiseman Ngobese worstwise@gmail.com