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Celebrating the launch of the UFS Artist in Residency Programme

04 July 2024 | Story Jacky Tshokwe | Photo Supplied

Launch of the Artists in Residency 2024 — Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of the Free State (UFS), joined in celebrating the power of art and its limitless potential for the university.

The University of the Free State (UFS) is thrilled to announce the successful launch of its groundbreaking Artist in Residency Programme. This momentous event, held on 27 June 2024, marked the beginning of an inspiring new chapter in the university's commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and the arts within its academic community.

The event was graced by esteemed guests, including the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Francis Petersen; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Vasu Reddy; Dean of the Faculty of The Humanities, Prof Mogomme Masoga; and our inaugural artist in residence, Mike van Graan. Their presence underscored the significance of this occasion and the vital role the arts play in enriching our academic environment.

Prof Petersen's welcome address highlighted the vision behind this initiative, emphasising the university's commitment to broadening its impact beyond academia and fostering relationships that span various disciplines, including developments from STEM to STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics). He lauded the programme as a beacon of creativity and innovation, set to thrive within the UFS community.

“This launch marks the beginning of a vibrant and enriching journey for the UFS Artist in Residency Programme. We eagerly anticipate the collaboration and the creation of a space where creativity thrives, ideas flourish, and imaginations soar. With artists like Mike van Graan leading the way, we are confident that this programme will serve as a bridge between academia and the arts, fostering dialogue and creativity that transcend traditional boundaries,” Prof Petersen expressed his gratitude.

The highlight of the event was undoubtedly the introduction of Mike van Graan, a distinguished independent artist and playwright. Van Graan, with an impressive career spanning 36 plays and extensive contributions to cultural policy and artist network development, has been a pivotal figure in the cultural landscape of South Africa and beyond. His dedication to cultural activism and artistic creation is widely recognised, and his insights during the event provided a profound perspective on the importance of supporting the arts, particularly theatre.

Van Graan shared his vision for the future of theatre and drama in South Africa, emphasising the need for a supportive and recognising arts minister. He expressed hope for a future where talent and policy merge to create a thriving cultural sector. His thoughts on the relevance and impact of the residency programme on both the industry and the academic environment resonated deeply with the audience.

The programme director, Prof Anthea van Jaarsveld, guided the event seamlessly, introducing the staged readings that showcased the incredible talent nurtured during the residency. The first reading, an excerpt from The Good White, delved into contemporary issues such as race, social justice, and the complexities of human relationships against the backdrop of the 2015/16 student protests. The second reading, Return of the Ancestors, paid homage to the satirical South African political play, Woza Albert, exploring themes of democracy and sacrifice through the return of figures such as Steve Biko and Neil Aggett.

As the event drew to a close, heartfelt gratitude was extended to all who contributed to the success of this launch. Special thanks were extended to the UFS leadership, the Dean of the Faculty of The Humanities, the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Department of Communication and Marketing’s staff, the staff in the office of the Vice-Chancellor, and the various outsourced companies for their presence and contributions.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating the power of art and the limitless potential it holds for our university and beyond. Together, we will continue to create spaces for dialogue, understanding, and inspiration through the transformative power of art,” Prof Van Jaarsveld said in closing the ceremony.

#UFSArts #ArtistInResidency #MikeVanGraan #Creativity #Innovation #STEAM

News Archive

UFS is the most integrated campus in the country

2010-01-29

Judge Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the University of the Free State's (UFS) Council and Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS at the official opening ceremony.
Photo: Hannes Pieterse

“The University of the Free State’s (UFS) Main Campus is the most integrated campus in the country.”

This was said by Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS during the university’s official opening on its Main Campus in Bloemfontein today.

Addressing staff and students, Prof. Jansen said that the first-year students in the majority of the residences are now fully integrated on a 50/50 basis. “The majority of our house committees are now also integrated,” he said.

He used the ladies residence Welwitschia as an example. “When I walked into to this residence last year it consisted only of black female students. When I visited them again this year I could not believe what I saw: the residence is fully integrated and there are white and black students living together. This is an example of our young people’s willingness to live together and we must believe in their potential,” he said.

Prof. Jansen said that the UFS does not want to be good because “good is the enemy of great” (from Jim Collins in his book Good to Great). “We want to be great. This is the year in which our staff and students’ lives will change and this university will change as we take the first steps in making the leap from good to great,” he said.

Prof. Jansen said that there have been many developments at the UFS so far this year. “We have attracted some of the best scholars in the country and other parts of the world to this university, and we will be selecting from among them in the next two weeks. We have also attracted some of the best athletes in the country in our first-year class, including some of the best hockey players,” he said.

Prof. Jansen outlined the following as his priorities for 2010:

The phasing in of compulsory class attendance as a way to drastically improve the quality of teaching at the UFS. “This will also enhance our throughput. However, before we can to this, we are going to accelerate the building of larger classrooms to accommodate all our students,” he said.
The appointment of a senior vice-rector in the near future, who will manage the day to day operations of the UFS;
To market the UFS to the best and most promising schools in South Africa. “This will start next week when I will be visiting schools in the Eastern Cape.”
To raise R100 million to enable more students with talent to study at the UFS, and to build an endowment to be proud of for the future of the university;
To upgrade the infrastructure in the residences;
To require every member of the university’s academic staff to publish every year;
To train administrative and support staff so that a world-class service culture can be created which takes every student, every parent and every staff member seriously; and
To insist that the conditions of service of staff working for agencies outside the UFS be improved by increasing the minimum remuneration dramatically and by making study benefits available to them as well. “We will not renew our tenders with outside agencies unless they raise the minimum wage of their staff,” he said.

Prof. Jansen said that he was extremely proud of the Student Representative Council’s (SRC) leadership and what they have achieved so far during their term. He also thanked the staff for their hard work and the excellence they bring to the UFS.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Director: Strategic Communication (actg)
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl@ufs.ac.za
29 January 2010

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