A proposed R200m arts centre for Kariega, first mooted in 2024, remains at the concept stage, frustrating local artists and youth who say the lack of a dedicated creative facility is denying them training, exposure and job opportunities.
Local artists say delay hinders skills development and job creation
The proposal, which local artist Cecil Steven said was estimated to cost R200m, involved early discussions with musicians and cultural stakeholders from the area. Among those named in initial talks was veteran singer Bridgett Alexander of the Syndicate Sisters, who is now the secretary of the Nelson Mandela Bay Artist Council.
Alexander told reporters the prolonged delay has a direct impact on youth development across the metro, particularly in township and northern areas of the metro where access to artistic training has sharply declined in recent years.
“There is a reason such art centres need to be built in all municipalities, especially here in Nelson Mandela Bay for our youth. The lack of such facilities often leads to negative things such as drugs and crime. Right now, our youth are suffering most. There’s nothing for them,” Alexander said.
She said the centre would offer a range of programmes — from music and poetry to hairdressing and needlework — skills that she said are no longer broadly available in schools and which could both nurture talent and create employment.
What proponents say the centre would deliver
According to those involved in early discussions, the proposed facility would aim to:
- Provide practical training in sound engineering, artist development and management;
- Offer space for performances, rehearsals and exhibitions for local artists;
- Create employment and work opportunities for young people entering the creative industries.
Alexander added that artists and industry practitioners had volunteered support for training and mentorship but lacked the financial resources to realise the project herself.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Estimated cost | R200m |
| First proposed | 2024 |
| Named local stakeholders | Cecil Steven; Bridgett Alexander; Nelson Mandela Bay Artist Council |
The plan’s backers say the centre could also help expose talent that otherwise goes unseen and give recent graduates practical pathways into the creative economy. Alexander emphasised the loss of opportunity when young people sit at home with qualifications they cannot use.
“Building such centres would bring massive change … This project will create employment for many youth and equip locals with skills. We offer skills on sound engineering, artist development and management, exposing talent and teaching people who are not naturally musically oriented about the industry,” she said.
At present there is no public timetable, budget allocation or confirmed municipal partner cited in the available reporting that would indicate when, or if, the project will move beyond concept. The absence of these details has left local practitioners uncertain about the feasibility and expected benefits of the proposal.
For Kariega residents, the stalled project highlights wider challenges in converting cultural proposals into functioning community assets. Arts facilities are often funded through a mix of municipal budgets, provincial or national cultural grants, private philanthropy and public-private partnerships. Without a clear funding framework or public commitment from government, local advocates say ideas remain theoretical rather than operational.
Community voices argue that an operational arts centre would be more than a performance venue: it would act as a training centre, small-business incubator and public meeting place in areas that have lost vocational offerings in schools. Proponents maintain that mobilisation of artists, civil society and municipal officials is needed urgently to avoid losing another generation of talent to unemployment and other social ills.
The proposal continues to be discussed among artists and council networks in the metro. Until a concrete funding plan and delivery schedule are announced, Kariega’s creatives and young people remain without the promised facility they say could change the cultural and economic landscape of the city.
