APS Annual Report 2016-2017

excellence through possibilty

Lebohang Motaung - E kojwa esale metsi - Etching - 2017

ANNUAL REPORT 2016 -2017

Artist Proof Studio

@ArtistProofJHB

@ArtistProofJHB

Artist Proof Studio

artistproofstudio

www.artistproofstudio.co.za | 011 492 1278 | admin@artistproofstudio.co.za

contents I.

II.

Executive Summary SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Who We Are Background Location Studio Objectives Studio Operations

Reports from Units 2 2 3 3 4 6

SECTION 2: REPORTS FROM UNITS Studio Unit Goals 2016/2017 Organisation Organogram Gallery Education Unit Pro-Print Studio Special Projects and Marketing Unit

III. Financial Report SECTION 3: FINANCIAL REPORT Way Forward Acknowledgements

42 44 45

Compiled by: Shannin Antonopoulo With contributions from The Artist Proof Studio Management team Editing by: Kim Berman Design and layout by: Richard Ncube Front artwork by: Lebohang Motaung

8 9 10 11 15 31 33

Executive Summary 2016 was a year dedicated to change and capacity building with the launch of a formalised fourth year programme which included 10 graduate students and 5 staff mentors. Many of these graduates from fourth year are developing successful careers as ar sts and some have been assimilated into the APS team as assistants and appren ces.

The Educa on unit is thriving with the con nued support of funders including Rand Merchant Bank (RMB), Na onal Lo eries Commission and Na onal Arts Council. The support and commitment from these funding bodies has encouraged APS to remain commi ed and focused on finding new methodologies and solu ons through a holis c approach to arts educa on for development, innova on and growth of successful graduates who make an impact in the industry and their own communi es as ar sts and individuals.

Exci ng commissions and collabora ons in 2016 included the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital print por olio project with 12 par cipa ng APS ar sts including graduates, emerging and established ar sts. 23 por olios consis ng of 12 prints each will be displayed throughout the hospital and sold to raise funds for the hospital.

Special Projects worked on two massive mural commissions including the Market Square murals and a series of murals featuring APS ar sts print images throughout the Hollard Campus parking areas (to be con nued into 2017). In addi on, numerous gi print commissions were extended to APS from our corporate partners crea ng further income genera on, learning and workplace training opportuni es for student ar sts.

Outreach, a branch of Special Projects forged new rela onships and partnerships with organisa ons who work primarily with children from underserved communi es. These partnerships allow us to extend our reach to a broader communi es around Johannesburg. New partnerships included Lalela in the inner city and the Curriculum Development Project in Bertrams.

We are grateful to have par cipated in various art fairs including Turbine, Cape Town and Joburg Art Fair. This is an essen al pla orm for us to promote new ar sts, be introduced to new clients and share with new audiences and galleries new releases from our studio. We were extremely fortunate to have had our stands at Turbine Art Fair and Joburg Art Fair subsidized in 2016. Turbine by Fasken Mar neau, our long- me corporate partner and the Gauteng Provincial Government sponsored our Joburg Art Fair stand.

We also had the honour of showcasing the two magnificent works by William Kentridge created from his monumental Triumphs and Laments frieze along the Tiber River in Rome. In 2016 we released Marcus Aurelius and Garibaldi in a very limited edi on of 10. These are folding map - book works each made up of 20 sugar-li aqua nt plates printed on Phumani hand-made hemp and sisal paper and mounted on rough weave co on cloth. The sale of Kentridge prints through APS goes directly to suppor ng the ac vi es and programmes at APS. th The year ended with a celebra on of our 25 APS Birthday with our friends, partners and current and future patrons, hosted by Strauss & Co. It was a stunning success. The evening was filled with warmth, passion, pride and goodwill. It was such a tribute to a generous community of people dedicated to the investment of the careers of young ar sts.

This annual report will detail the ac vi es men oned above and give insight into how the various units have worked together to achieve success. This is largely possible through the support and commitment of an ac ve Board of Directors, a dedicated management and staff team, talented and energe c students and ar sts.

1

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Who We Are

the units of the organisa on in 2016. Ar st Proof Studio

Ar st Proof Studio (APS) is an innova ve and engaged

embraces ISEE-U.

community printmaking centre of excellence.

Innova on

The

organisa on focuses on all aspects of professional

We posi on Innova on as a key component in our

printmaking: crea on, sales, training, and community

development and evolving iden ty.

engagement. The studio is divided into four business units,

Self-Awareness

which encompass its professional printmaking opera ons:

APS encourages its staff, ar sts, professionals, and

·

Professional Print Studio

students to reach their poten al. Self-awareness is

·

Gallery

empowering and beneficial for APS in ensuring growth and

·

Educa on

diversity.

·

Special Projects

Engagement

Through its many ac vi es, APS facilitates the

APS strives to promote engagement of its students,

transforma on of passion into possibility, as well as the

professional ar sts, and all staff, as well as foster the

ac ve commitment of talented individuals to shape a

rela onship between the work of the studio and the

be er future for themselves.

broader community.

Mission and Vision

Excellence

The Mission of Ar st Proof Studio is to provide an

By promo ng “Excellence through Possibility,” we

environment to develop ci zens with a common set of

encourage ar sts to push the boundaries of printmaking

values, expressed in the no on of Ubuntu, that have talent

to find their own vision, and inspira on through

and passion to achieve ar s c excellence. APS focuses on

collabora on.

printmaking and its allied outreach programmes to build

Ubuntu

capacity of people to reach self-actualisa on and make a

For APS, Ubuntu is about crea ng a safe and suppor ve

difference in society.

space for self-expression: a space that is respec ul,

The Vision for Ar st Proof Studio is founded on a sense of

empathe c, and nourishing for the well-being of the

shared humanity whereby people of talent and passion

community.

can reach for excellence in art making to achieve selfsustainability.

'Habits of Mind' were developed with partner organisa on Boston Arts Academy (BAA) in 2014. These were been successfully established and integrated across

2

Background Ar st Proof Studio was founded in 1991 by Kim Berman and Nhlanhla Xaba as a community printmaking centre that reflected the spirit of a healthy democracy and the ideals expressed in the new South African cons tu on. As printmaking was seen as a democra c medium and a counterforce to the suspicion and division le from the apartheid years, it was considered to be fi ng approach to building a true egalitarian society. The country was on the brink of real change and in many ways it was ar sts that led the rethinking of how the future could look for all South Africans. Embodying this movement, APS became one of the pioneering community art centres in what would eventually become the cultural hub for the city of Johannesburg.

During the last 25 years, APS has grown from a small, rudimentarily equipped printmaking studio to one of the largest and most vibrant community and professional printmaking facili es in Southern Africa, accommoda ng up to 80 students per year and also hos ng, publishing, and providing print edi on facili es and collabora ve project opportuni es for many ar sts each year.

Throughout its history, APS has evolved to a centre focused on redress to one focused on innova on and excellence. From March 2017, the organisa on will be in its 26th year of existence and has been registered as an NPO (Sec on 21 co from 1998) since the 2nd of June 2005.

Location

X

Ar st Proof Studio

Bassline Sci-Bono Discovery Centre

The Dance Factory

NEARBY

SEND TO YOUR PHONE

Market Theatre Laboratory

SHARE

ph St

Helen Joseph

ph St

Helen Jose

St

Helen Joseph

St

Johannesburg Family Court Centre

Bus Factory

io

Stud Ar st Proof

Albertin

www.ar stproofstudio.co.za

a Sisul

Hours of opera on: 9am -4pm (Mon - Fri) 10am -3pm (Sat) Closed on Sundays and Public Holidays

<<

r St

koto St

011 492 1278

lu Rd

Sisu

ulu Rd

Albertina Sis

Alexande

rtina

Albe

u Rd

Gerard Se

admin@ar stproofstudio.co.za

Helen Jose

koto St

rway

Johannesburg, 2001 GPS Coordinates: 26.2053° S, 28.0311° E

SAB World of Beer

Bus Factory

Gerard Se

3 Helen Joseph St, Newtown,

100

South African Reserve Bank

keba Miriam Ma

De Villiers Graaf Moto

SAVE

koto St

M1

keba

Direc ons

Gerard Se

Miriam Ma

excellence through possibilty

Shikisha

+

er St

Commission

Satelite

R41

3

STUDIO OBJECTIVES 1.

Transforma on and Redress

APS has always focused on ensuring the availability of quality arts educa on to all South Africans, especially those with li le or no previous access to arts educa on. This remains at the core of our ethos and we plan to con nue to promote transforma on in society through art.

Since our incep on in 1991, we have grown to become a benchmark training and resource centre for ar sts from surrounding townships, provinces and as well as African countries. The studio has developed many young talented ar sts who make a signiďŹ cant contribu on to the industry and their communi es. As access to art educa on in schools dwindles, our role as a quality arts educa on facility that bridges the gap between arts founda on educa on and professional training and mentorship has become vital to ensure access and growth of ar sts from disadvantaged posi ons into the mainstream arts industry.

Within the studio itself, mentorship and succession plans have been implemented across all units in line with our strategy of empowerment and transforma on. Development and training of professional cultural prac

oners and ar sts is further

promoted through our Fourth Year Graduate and Internship Programme which piloted this year and was supported by RMB/Chikhululu Investments, The Mary Slack and Daughters Founda on and the Na onal Arts Council.

2.

Sustainability as an Arts Organisa on

Since April 2015, APS has func oned as a hybrid organisa on that both fulďŹ ls its social du es as a non-proďŹ t community centre focused on subsidised educa on and outreach responsibili es while simultaneously genera ng income through the sale and publica on of prints via the professional print shop and the gallery.

Our educa on programme is con nually reviewed to ensure that the content is contextually relevant and that graduates are equipped with the necessary skills to successfully par cipate in and make a contribu on to the studio itself and the industry at large. Strategic partnerships with various cultural and corporate organisa ons and other stakeholders are central to our future success. Key to sustainability as a printmaking centre of excellence remains our rela onships with ar sts as stakeholders and ambassadors of the APS brand as well as excellent partnerships with corporates, government en

3.

es and cultural partners.

Art to Promote Social Change and Increase Social Cohesion

APS ar sts are not only expected to achieve self-actualisa on, but to also embody the idea of ar sts as ac ve ci zens and agents of change in society. As the studio has developed into a hybrid organisa on, opportuni es to collaborate and par cipate in a range of projects with innova ve and progressive partners has grown. These opportuni es are integrated into our learning programme and managed by the business units to ensure maximum par cipa on and the delivery of services or products that contribute towards social change and increase social cohesion. The scope of projects that focus on this range from weekly ini a ves aimed at refugee children, dona ons of artworks for auc ons aimed at raising funds for various causes and partnerships with social organisa ons where artwork generated from APS workshops is framed and installed into community spaces.

4

4.

Ar s c Innova on

One of the major contribu ons that APS offers is a working model of a true centre of learning. APS encourages its ar sts as teachers to move beyond tradi onal instruc on and modes of teaching and instead create a space for learning and collabora on, so as to broaden the curriculum to allow both students and teachers to grow and learn together. This is possible in the living, working space that is Ar st Proof Studio with its Educa on, Gallery, Pro-Print Studio and ac ve outreach programmes through Special Projects.

Our educa onal and outreach components encourages us as an organisa on to con nually grapple with and find innova ve solu ons for sustainability and strive for excellence in printmaking. As a printmaking studio and arts organisa on, our longterm solu ons to training individuals and equipping them with the tools necessary to create artwork and sustain themselves through their work is what sets us apart from other more commercially orientated print studios.

In the last five years there has been a significant increase in the number of print studios offering similar products and services.

The increase in compe

on has encouraged us to review our strategies and all aspects of our business and educa onal

structures. In a sense, it has forced us to take stock and re-evaluate who we are and why we are here. We recognise that the key to our success and con nued contribu on to the industry is through the quality educa on of ar sts who through training and exposure to collabora on and partnerships, develop the ability to innovate and make a difference in society. This has been extended to include the assimila on of ar sts with disabili es who have limited access to quality arts educa on in South Africa (as much as is possible with the constraints of our physical space).

5.

Youth Development and Job Crea on

APS has contributed significantly to developing leadership capaci es for its members from management to students. In October – December all staff enrolled in and completed a course is financial management through the Money School at no cost to APS. Three staff members enrolled in further studies in January 2017 and all 2016 interns completed workplace training in various programmes and APS projects through the APS business units.

All commissioned projects received from corporate clients in 2016 involved students as par cipa ng ar sts and print appren ces. Furthermore, the studio is commi ed to offering employment opportuni es to graduates of APS in addi on to equipping them with the life skills necessary to take on many external and entrepreneurial posi ons through our fourth year internship programme. Of the nine graduates in 2016, three were employed at APS in various units, one moved onto an internship at the Kentridge Studio and the other five are full- me prac sing ar sts and work as consultants on projects through the Special Projects unit.

5

STUDIO OPERATIONS Under its administra ve opera ons, APS has four dis nct business units, which form its comprehensive printmaking centre.

These units include the Professional Print Studio, Gallery, Educa on, and Special Projects.

Ar st Proof Studio has four ac ve business units: •

The APS Gallery; exhibits and markets outstanding work by students, alumni and professional ar sts and generates a

sustainable income for ar sts and the studio.

•

The Educa on Unit; trains aspiring ar sts to become professional printmakers and provides an integrated work-place

learning programme in community engaged arts.

•

The Professional Print Studio (Pro-shop); provides professional print technicians who collaborate with ar sts to

produce new bodies of work in every print medium including etching, lithography, screen-prin ng, monotypes, paper-based works and relief prints.

•

The Special Projects and Marke ng Unit; receives mural and project commissions, manages community outreach

projects and develops mutually beneficial partnerships with Corporate Social ini a ves. This team is also responsible for all APS communica ons with the public, website and social media pla orms management and publica on material.

Through its many ac vi es, APS facilitates the transforma on of passion into possibility, as well as the ac ve commitment of talented individuals to shape a be er future for themselves and their communi es. Below is a breakdown of the studio structure with func ons.

BOARD FUNCTIONS: Risk, Assets, Resources, Sustainability, Measuremet of Business, Strategy Development, Goals and Objectives ACTIONS: Statutory and Governance, Reputation, Innovation, Vision, Ethos

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FUNCTIONS: Risk, Assets, Resources, Sustainability, Measuremet of Business, Strategy Development, Goals and Objectives ACTIONS: Statutory and Governance, Reputation, Innovation, Vision, Ethos

BUSINESS MANAGER (Quantitative) FUNCTIONS: Risk Management, Financial Reports, Measurement, Goals and Objectives, Asset and Stock Management, Financial Oversight.

ACTIONS: Financial Management, Administrative Management and Support, Statutory and Governance, Legislation and Legal, Assets Trading, Funding, Strategy

STUDIO MANAGER (Qualitative) FUNCTIONS: Operations, Communications between units, Risk, Reports, Achievement, Measurement, Implementation, Goals and Objectives, Contracts and HR Management ACTIONS: Staff Management, Administrative Management and Support, Governance, Funding, Strategy

6

EDUCATION Educational Coordinator Conceptual Development Education Skill Team Printmaking Coordinator

GALLERY Curator Gallery Assistant Gallery Administrator Gallery Coordinator Exhibitions Team-Consultants

FUNCTIONS:

FUNCTIONS: Recruit students through social media networks and events including Open Day Train and Develop young artists through the education programme Instill a culture of Excellence, Integrity and Accountability and Revelance Seek out guest trainers who add value to the education curriculum

ACTIONS: Recruitment, Admission and Registration Faciltation and Training Workplace Training through partnerships and liason with all the units Capacity Building Innovation in teaching methodologies, Critical Review of teaching methodologies, learning programmes and the overall Curriculum Assessments of students reports on their progress and evalutaion of the entire course

Create Sales opportunities for artists and artwork through internal exhibitions, external exhibitions and direct client liaison Stock management and archive Develop and main client and gallery relationships

ACTIONS: Internal and External Exhibitions, Fairs Exclusive APS evenings Client Liaison Stock and Inventory Management Client lists Invoicing and client payments Updating, collation and management of artist ď&#x20AC; les including artwork, sales and artist information

PRO-PRINT SHOP Pro-print Shop Coordinator Master Printer Printing Technician Team

FUNCTIONS: Publish artist portfolios Establish and maintain relationships with artists innovation and Excellence in Printmaking

FUNCTIONS: Publish prints of alumni and external artists Maintain accurate and realistic print documentation and costing. Work in tandem with the gallery and marketing to advice the artist on costing and best production methods Work with the sales and marketing team to select artworks for sale and exhibition Develop and maintain relationships with artists Work with the Gallery to continually promote the relationship between the artists and printers

OUTREACH/ MARKETING Marketing and Special Projects Manager Outreach Coordinator Designer/Photographer/Videographer Projects Consultant Team

FUNCTIONS: Network with partner organisations and corporates School workshops/Murals/ Commissions Develop and maintain outreach opportunities for work-placement training Develop and maintain partnerships Create and constantly seek funding opportunities Promote services and opportunities to the public Development and creation of material that promotes and educates the audience Maintenance of the brand Audience development and education

ACTIONS: Murals that uplift community centres or commissions that promote the artwork of APS artists Artists in Arks Corporate CSI and other partnerships that encourage collaboration Develop and maintain relationships with foundations that encourage collaboration Development and creation of marketing material: website maintenance, marketing of exhibitions, events and workshops and social media development of marketing plans in line with sales strategies

ADVISORY BOARD (Corporate Partners, Clients and Friends of APS) FUNCTIONS: Innovation, Networking, Sustainability, Marketing Success, Client Management and Liaison, Strategy Development, Goals and Objectives, Reputation ACTIONS: Mentorship, Networks, Relationship Building, Sharing of innovative Marketing Strategies, Retention and Maintenance of the Market.

7

SECTION 2: REPORTS FROM UNITS The four business units that cons tute the APS work together to achieve the studio objec ves. Following a challenging and insigh ul year in 2015, 2016 focused on the implementa on of new policies and procedures as well as unit restructuring to ensure that administra ve communica ons and systems flows are efficient to allow each unit to focus on their core func ons.

The establishment of revised ways of doing things and streamlined approaches to financial accountability including the cos ng of projects and programmes in all units against organisa onal income has enabled smooth transi ons and the implementa on of structural and management changes.

Various staffing changes occurred throughout 2016 however, given plans for strategy and succession developed in 2015, coupled with revised and updated policies and procedures in line with new systems flows, changes to infrastructure were accommodated and did not nega vely impact on the organisa on. A Quality Management Systems (QMS) manual was developed with the assistance and input from all units. The final document was edited and compiled with the assistance of Nzali Jordan who checked that all the relevant and necessary policies, procedures and systems were accounted for in the manual. This has since been accepted by the board and is available to all APS Stakeholders on request. Time-sheets documen ng produc on and outputs have been ini ated to monitor and be more accountable as a business and ensure that units are moving forward in line with iden fied priori es to ensure future growth.

To ensure financial accountability and overall risk management of assets, stocks, budgets and investments, Mariska Klopper was appointed Business Manager in April 2016. Sara-Aimee Verity resigned from her part- me posi on as master printer in the pro-print space in June to pursue her Master's Degree full- me. Charles Kholobeng and Pontsho Sikhosana took over her responsibili es with the assistance of David Tsoka. In the gallery unit, Tracey Munungu ala was hired as Gallery Assistant and Louise Wierenga was appointed in January 2016 as Gallery Administrator to manage and oversee supplier and customer invoicing, supplier payments and sales reports monthly.

The educa on unit also experienced a series of changes following a complete review of teaching methodologies, learning curriculums and outputs completed in 2015. The re-registra on of our NQF Level 4 learnership for first year has been given priority in 2016 with a long term goal of acquiring cer fica on for a higher educa on cer ficate for our senior level programmes. Changes to staffing in his unit included the resigna on of Robyn Nesbi , our Third Year and Cri cal Studies teacher who went to complete a course in Educa on Studies in Barcelona. She was replaced by Ilse Pahl from the University of Johannesburg. Rene Mathibe was appointed Educa on Manager following a one year mentorship process and comple on of a school management and leadership course at Boston University conducted by Linda Nathan, founder of Boston Art Academy from September - November 2015.

In the process of restructuring, all staff evaluated their posi ons, strengths and weaknesses and assumed new roles and responsibili es in line with studio objec ves and unit goals for 2016.

8

Studio Units Goal 2015/2016

Education 1.Increase literacy levels through reading and writing.

2.Acquire NQF level 4 accreditation certication (reregister qualication) for rst year so we can pursue higher certication for senior levels of study.

3.Equip emerging artists with professional skills through the initiation of a Fourth Year programme and a structured workplace learning schedule.

4.Ensure that our programmes are current and addresses our students' immediate needs equipping them with skills and knowledge that is relevant to today's context.

5.Mainstream disability.

6.Launch phase-two of the E-wallet system which will enable APS to track expenditure against budget for senior project interns.

Special Projects/ Marketing 1.Expand internal knowledge and skills in areas of public relations, marketing, branding and communication through scheduled workshops.

2.Complete Phase two of the APS Website.

This includes consolidating the collections of artworks available, artist's biographies and proles.

3.Consolidate and manage our database/mailing list.

4.Install created artwork from school workshops and/or donated APS prints every two months while at the same time identifying recipients of artwork.

Pro-Print Shop

Gallery

1.Effectively manage and close open editions from 2015 while simultaneously printing new work.

2.Phase out artists whose work is not selling and solicit new artists and promote emerging artists and alumni.

3.Get the lithography press (damaged in 2015 by re) up and running.

4.Coordinate an effective 'shift' schedule for the press to alleviate printing clashes and maximize on time, space and human capacity.

5.Be more strategic with print projects and consider that prices for paper and materials have gone up substantially since 2015 due to the exchange rate.

1.Adjust and effectively implement changes to procedures and nancial management.

2.Streamline administrative systems through simplication.

3.Reach sales targets.

4.Strategically select artwork based on market demands for events .

5.Educate audiences on the value of investment in prints through exhibitions and demonstrative events.

6.Align procedures with pro-shop and suppliers.

7.Focus on bridging gaps between nance and gallery administration.

8.Improve and strengthen relationships with suppliers and clients.

9.Prioritise customer service.

Despite the staff and structural changes necessary to move forward, the studio seems to have emerged triumphantly with increased sales at the Turbine Art Fair and new possibili es and partnerships forged leading into 2017. The organisa on organogram provides detail of the members of each team within the units and shows how each unit related to the other.

9

Organisation Organogram

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Giovanni Mariano, Chairperson, Dr. Gillian Crawford, Mr. Ché Lue, Mr. Ashen Jugoo, Ms. Nozizwe Vundla, Dr. Finzi Saidi, Mrs. Shaila Jivan, Mrs. Lauren Woolf, Mr. Sanjay Galal

ADVISORY BOARD

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Prof. Kim Berman

EDUCATION Academic Education Manager: Rene Mathibe

Printmaking Education Manager: Lucas Ngkweng

GALLERY Senior Students Co-ordinator Ilse Pahl

Facilitators: Luzuko Dayile, Lucas Nkgweng, Sizwe Khoza, Rene Mathibe, Tracey Munungufhala

Intern: Siso Temba

Intern: Lindo Zwane

Gallery Sales Manager and Head Curator: Jeanne Mare Du Bois-Smit

Gallery Administrator Louise Wierenge

Academic Education Manager: Rene Mathibe

SPECIAL PROJECTS & MARKETING

Outreach& Web Maintenance Intern: Goolam Saber

Manager: Nathi Simelane

Designer & Operations Richard Ncube

Outreach& Web Maintenance Intern: Lebohang Motaung

Gallery Assistant: Tracey Munungufhala

Gallery Co-ordinator Lydia Zungu

Printmaking Education Manager: Lucas Ngkweng

Senior Students Co-ordinator Ilse Pahl

PRO-PRINT SHOP Pro-Shop Production Co-ordinator Charles Kholobeng

Master Printer and Quality Controller Pontsho Sikhosana

Screenprint Technician: Alex Vosloo

Paper Maker and Edition Printer: Nathi Ndlandla

Assistant Printer: David Tsoka Intern: Lloyd Maluleke

Intern: Bokang Mankoe

Intern: Kelebogile Masilo

Intern: Matthews Makgothlo

10

Gallery APS gallery currently has 23 consignee holders which offer APS ar sts increased opportuni es for promo on and sales.

Consignee holders as agents are offered special discounted rates on prints to accommodate gallery mark-ups and ensure that prices are kept in line with the market values. We consider our consignee holders and agents as partners with a shared inten on of promo ng the work of emerging ar sts and increasing access to excellent quality printmaking.

This year we have noted an increase in digital presenta ons which are e-mailed directly to clients and agents. Orders for artworks are followed up via e-mail with clients only coming into the studio to view large scale works selected from presenta ons. Our gallery space is 'mul -func onal' and is more o en used as a showroom and 'process' space where prints are submi ed, checked, photographed sorted and packaged. This provides a contrast to the tradi onal white cube space o en associated with gallery spaces and offers visitors and regular patrons an experience of the energy at APS. New releases by APS and associated ar sts are exhibited throughout the year in the space. These some mes culminate in opening events to promote the work and offer ar sts opportuni es to engage with the public. The work in the gallery is changed on a monthly basis offering visitors, staff and students new work to view.

The gallery plays a key role in Brand & Recogni on for the studio through interac ons with the public, promo on of prints and sales opportuni es through events. An area of focus has been on the streamlining of data collec on including images, ar st's biographies, new and updated statements and artwork prices and specifica ons. The APS Advisory Board made up of dynamic and innova ve individuals make themselves available for think tank sessions and support the development of sales and marke ng strategies.

With increased compe

on and changes in the local economic climate, innova on, diversifica on and pricing are areas where

the gallery and pro-shop have had to work together to ensure success and further growth in the future. In 2016, supplier invoices, sales reports and income against expenditure, was tracked and has provided invaluable data assis ng us in determining what different markets are responding to and iden fying emerging trends in the industry through sales. This assists us in forecas ng revenue streams based on previous year's figures and helps us develop clearer sales and marke ng strategies.

Some sales and marke ng events have been highlighted below.

11

Rotary Exhibition In June we joined the Rotary team for an 11 day exhibi on at the Hyde Park Corner Shopping Centre.

The event was very well a ended and we received significant recogni on through the event. Most of the framed works sold and we made addi onal sales from the unframed works as well.

Fontanus Comprehensive School, Soweto The studio was approached by the Gauteng Provincial Government to curate and hang artworks for the Fontanus Comprenhensive School in Soweto. They purchased a selec on of works by William Kentridge, Helen Sebidi, Sizwe Khoza, Phillip Mabote, Themba Khumalo as well as works by Sam Nhlengewtha and Cecil Skotnes which were sourced and framed for the school collec on.

Turbine Art Fair Turbine Art Fair was one of the most successful events that we a ended in June 2016. We set a target of one million rand and to our surprise we sold 1.2 million gross (50% of which was paid to selling ar sts).The event's financial success was partly due to the Kentridges on sale and our alumni and associated ar st's work. The cost of the stand was also subsidised

by Fasken Mar neau, which afforded us the flexibility of ge ng a larger stand than we had the previous year.

12

Nos Encontramos Casa Longe De Casa Exhibition Two of our alumni Mario Soares and Sizwe Khoza shared an exhibi on offered

at Ar st Proof Studio. The exhibi on

opened a couple of weeks a er the Turbine Art Fair. The event was well a ended and was promoted at the Turbine Art Fair.

The exhibi on's theme translates as “home away from home”.

Both ar sts travel frequently to Mozambique to collect images and inspira on from their homes which are combined through the printed images with aspects of the South African environment, people and experiences.

100% Design Fair In August, APS a ended the 100% Design Fair in collabora on with furniture design company- Widmer and Co. The collabora on was mutually beneficial in that we needed furniture in the space from which to conduct sales and they needed the exposure. It also offered the public ideas on how design and art can work well together. Accessing the interior design market through designers is an area earmarked for growth and this event offered us insight into how we could pursue this further in the future.

Joburg Art Fair The Joburg Art Fair in September showcased the best of what APS has to offer. The main feature of our stand included two book pieces by William Kentridge; Marcus Aurelius and Garibaldi alongside work produced by various ar sts from Phumani Archival Mill. The paper William Kentridge prints on is all hand-made at the Archive Paper Mill and APS felt that the Joburg Art Fair would provide a good pla orm to share with ar sts and visitors the possibili es of paper pulp artwork and archival hand-made paper. Associated printer's artworks were showcased and rotated daily. As we carry over 120 ar sts, the ac vity of rota ng the exhibi on every few hours to allow each ar st 'air me' proved challenging. A be er system of exposure needs to be considered for 2017.

13

This year we were fortunate to be invited to par cipate in the Cape Town Art Fair. We used this opportunity to launch two of Kentridge's works based on ďŹ gures based from the Procession Mural in Rome.

The works included; Triumph of Bacchus and Garibaldi. Overall however, sales were very slow with a total of 30 sales recorded. We learned much from this opportunity that has been discussed and noted and have realised that the strategy for increasing sales and visibility in the Cape Town region is signiďŹ cantly diďŹ&#x20AC;erent to that of Johannesburg.

14

Education Unit APS oďŹ&#x20AC;ers a 3 year full me subsidised study programme that includes drawing, cri cal studies, visual literacy and printmaking. We also provide a part me course that focuses on printmaking. This year we introduced a fourth year senior and work placement programme. We have focused on developing the curriculum with a long term view of acquiring Higher Educa on Cer ďŹ ca on. In line with this strategy we are in the process of re-registering our NQF Level 4 learnership which will be implemented in 2018.

In the area of Brand & Recogni on, the unit relies largely on students and alumni as APS ambassadors. The success and achievements of APS trained ar sts and alumni in the arts and community educa on sector is testament to the value and impact of APS holis c training methodologies and programmes.

Partnerships and the sharing of informa on and resources between studios and cultural organisa ons ensure that our ar sts have access to opportuni es and are networked in the industry. A round table discussion was held in August 2016 with stakeholders in the Newtown area, Wits and the University of Johannesburg representa ves. Under discussion was the number of graduates in the industry, an explora on of accredita on op ons, iden fying strategic partners and increasing resource sharing and networking.

A Patron programme has been implemented to encourage the par cipa on of individuals that feel the need to sponsor and support a student for a certain period. We have been greatly supported by Strauss & Co to increase our number of patrons and funders.

15

The best-of student works from first to fourth year were selected and exhibited at Strauss and co.

PARTNERSHIPS & PATRONS

The event focussed on promo ng the Patron Programme and increasing the number of programme partners. The exhibi on was coordinated and curated by intern Mandla Mavengere as a ‘senior project’. He did excep onally well in collec ng and colla ng work from alumni,

students and graduates to showcase the enormous talent and growth harnessed and developed through the educa on unit with the exis ng support of partners and patrons.

Mpumi Ngoma was the guest speaker at the event and was selected because she is an alumni, previous APS facilitator and successful independent ar st who was supported throughout her studies at both APS and UJ by the Tracker Founda on. Further tes mony to the rewarding experience by both patron and students was offered by Lauren Woolf (patron) and Lindo Zwane (student), Lebohang Motaung (student) and Nicky Wessels (patron) and Andrew Murray (patron) and Boitumelo Gaothaelwe (student). Strauss and co. have been an avid supporter of the APS Educa on Programme and managed our Educa on Endowment Auc on in 2015.

Lindo Zwane & Lauren Woolf

Lebohang Motaung & Nicky Wessels

Andrew Murray & Boitumelo Gaothaelwe

16

Increase in Student Numbers 2017 The number of student applica ons and reten ons signiďŹ cantly increased since January 2015. The First Year full- me programme accepted 33 students in January 2017, and the Saturday part me programme increased from 14 to 20 students in January 2016. Among these students, we accepted two new hearing impaired students. The educa on unit has been working with St Vincent School for the Deaf to iden fy and solicit deaf students who show tremendous talent and abili es in visual art.

In 2016 Reneilwe Mathibe and Goolam Saber went to the Sign Language classes at St Vincent's School every Saturday morning to learn Sign Language and more hearing impaired communica on in order to teach and engage with these students in class. This enables us to mainstream their educa on and introduce them to the art world and opportuni es. With the help from RMB, who is commi ed to increasing access for the disabled to the industry, APS received a grant in March 2017 to hire a qualiďŹ ed Sign language interpreter. We are also in in conversa on with the school to have a skills exchange where our students go and do printmaking demonstra ons at the school and in return our students and teachers are given workshops in sign language and deaf culture.

17

Shapes Stories

The 2016 Third Year class had a successful year-end exhibi on. Mpumi Ngoma, APS alumni

of and teacher was invited to open the exhibi on. The works showcased a variety of print

our

mediums. To successfully graduate from third year and be considered for the fourth year senior/internship programme each student is required to produce ten diďŹ&#x20AC;erent artworks

an exhibition of prints by 3rd year students edi oned at least three mes. This por olio must be accompanied by a colophon, an ar st

statement and an ar stâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biography. In addi on, the students are expected (with the support of the gallery and educa on teams), to plan and curate an exhibi on of prints that equally represents each individual.

18

Thandiwe Khumalo

Cromwell Ngobeni

Justice Mathonisi

Mamorena Malakoane

Precious Mahapa

Ben Ngobeni

Tinyiko Maluri

Victor Kuster

Zamani Xaba

Boitumelo Gaotlhaelwe

19

Fourth Year Pilot Programme With the support of the Mary Slack and Daughters Founda on and Tshikhululu Investments (social investment Branch of RMB), we successfully formalised and implemented a Senior Internship programme as a pilot in 2016. The programme created learning opportuni es through workplace training and experien al learning for each graduate ar st in one or more units at APS. Through private patron and corporate partnerships a series of seminars were run every Thursday to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge in areas including law, business and communica ons which enhanced and increased their understanding of professional prac ce.

In 2016, Fasken Mar neau, long term partner of APS oďŹ&#x20AC;ered a comprehensive seminar series in aspects of law per nent to ar sts. These seminars included, tax law, contractual law, business en

es and copyright. Nathi Simelane ran a series of workshops around marke ng

and branding of APS. Students gathered informa on and documenta on from the units they interned in and considered ways of 'packaging' the informa on for the website and social media pla orms. This was supported by Lauren Woolf who oďŹ&#x20AC;ered seminars in branding and communica ons.

Addi onal workplace training opportuni es included mural pain ng commissions and community outreach projects with various partners, gi print commissions for corporates and public demonstra ons and workshops for the public. Intern students were also encouraged and supported to engage with a broader art industry and make the most of 'outside' opportuni es to enrich their personal careers this included entering awards, compe

ons, addi onal mentorship programmes and group exhibi ons. Although interns are oďŹ&#x20AC;ered support and

mentorship in their ar s c prac ce, they are largely encouraged to work independently and develop their own signature style and iconography. Many of the interns discussed below have done extremely well in this area.

Apart from the development of professional ar sts as prac

oners, we aim at training and harnessing skills in areas of arts administra on,

communica on, presenta on and project management. The fourth year programme aims to polish skills in all areas of art prac ce and communica ons.

20

STUDENT INTERN INDIVIDUAL REPORTS:

KELEBOGILE MASILO Kelebogile Masilo applied for an internship with Charles Kholobeng in the pro-shop. Charles was the designated litho printer. As our litho press was damaged in a fire in October 2015, Kelebogile was ini ally placed in Special Projects to assist on a project called the Art Connec on Project – a programme that collects donated artwork from ar sts for installa on and displays them at a community centre.

She was taught how to professionally and correctly photograph artwork, edit and fix images using basic Photoshop and collate and catalogue artwork for partner organisa ons to select from. The APS Art Connec on Catalogue is a living document and is updated monthly. It is designed to be sent to recipient organisa ons for selec on, framing and installment. This process helped Kelebogile understand how her own work is to be photographed, edited and displayed in a catalogue for clients and other people to view and access. From June, Kelebogile moved back into the pro-shop to con nue her internship under the guidance of Charles Kholobeng when the litho press was repaired. He assisted her with the prin ng of her own edi ons which was a series of lithographs. Two edi ons were printed for the Turbine Art Fair 2016. Kelebogile was also selected to par cipate on the Fresh Produce Mentorhsip programme run by Assemblage Studios where she generated a series of drawings. She is currently working as an independent ar st developing work for a two-woman show in August. She is also crea ng a series of intaglio prints in the pro-shop with Pontsho Sikhosana.

Kelebogile Masilo-Kgogella-2016

Kelebogile Masilo - Evolving III - 2017

21

LEBOHANG MOTAUNG Lebohang Motaung completed from Vaal University with a diploma in Fine Art in 2012. She came to APS with a por olio of unpublished prints which were refreshingly new and accomplished. We offered her a co-publishing contract immediately. She chose to join the programme from first year in 2014 as she wanted to specialise in printmaking and had not learned all the techniques previously at University. She excelled in all areas of the course and was offered an opportunity by APS for a residency to work and study at the School of the Museum of Fine Art (SMFA) from September to December 2016 with a focus on hand-papermaking. We would like to thank the Boston Friends of APS for suppor ng Lebo’s four month residency in Boston.

Lebohang did extremely well and delivered almost double the artwork of the highest standard towards credits at the Museum School. She was also an intern in the print shop and gained valuable experience when working with the same teachers that mentored Kim Berman. With the support of her long- me patron Nicky Wessels from the Legacy Group she secured and rented a studio space in Newtown where she has worked as an independent ar st. She did her internship in three areas in the studio including the Archive Paper Mill at UJ, Special Projects Outreach and the Marke ng Unit where she updated and assisted Nathi Simelane with the overall management and upda ng of the website. She was also a selected ar st for the Hollard mural and assisted with the pain ng of other murals for this project. She did extremely well at Turbine Art Fair and a number of group exhibi ons outside of the studio. This year she is preparing for a women’s show at APS and will be showing new prints at Turbine Art Fair.

Lebohang Motaung - E kojwa esale metsi - 2017

Lebohang Motaung - I feel them - 2017

22

LLOYD MALULEKE Lloyd Maluleke chose to do his internship in the pro-print studio. Through various commission projects in his second and third year he proved that he was a talented and promising printmaker. He collaborated on numerous projects both as an assistant printer and independently in 2016.

The most challenging aspect of his internship was his ability to cost and price print edi ons. It came to our a en on that he had been mentoring three young ďŹ rst year students from his home village. He said that through this experience he understood what investment and paying it forward meant.

Lloyd produced a new body of artwork for the Fresh Produce stand at Turbine.

Lloyd Maluleke - Li le Cousin - 2016

Lloyd Maluleke - Dear Mama -2016

23

MATTHEWS MAKGOTHLO Ma hews Makgothlo was an intern in the screen prin ng unit and was mentored by Alex Vosloo. Ini ally when placing Ma hews with Vosloo we were concerned that Ma hews wouldn't cope given his extremely reserved nature. Ma hews' willingness to learn and quite nature worked well with his mentor and he has expressed having learned numerous 'tricks' developed by Alex that made prin ng edi ons in screenprin ng very efficient and professional. Ma hews has chosen to go back to school in 2017 to complete his matric.

Ma hews' artwork revolves around his struggles with learning and reading.

Since his third year he developed artwork from studying various texts on the func ons and receptors of informa on in the brain. His work include aspects of anatomy combined with text. He also developed an amazing collec on of drawings in mixed media and new prints with combined chin colè – a process of layering of paper and print.

Ma hew Makgothlo - Thenar Eminence and Addutor Policis - 2016

Ma hews Makgothlo - Brachioradialis, superficial digital Fle -2016

24

BOKANG MANKOE In the beginning of the year, Bokang Mankoe worked in the educa on unit with Rene Mathibe and assisted with Visual Literacy. He explained that the experience was challenging but that he learned a lot from it. He men oned that interac ng with the first year students enabled him to “go back to the basics” and revisit some important elements and that this helped to push his own artworks. Bokang realised that the rela onship with students is reciprocal and that he had learned a lot about himself through his experience of teaching.

Apart from Educa on, Bokang worked in the Gallery and the Archive Paper Mill. Working with Nathi Ndlandla in the Archive Mill helped him discover his passion for paper. This year he is working as Nathi Ndlandla, as assistant on the William Kentridge projects. He was also involved in the Fresh Produce project which has encouraged him to con nue developing artwork over and above his job at APS.

Bokang Mankoe - Influenial Line II - 2017

Bokang Mankoe - Deep Emerged - 2017

25

MANDLA MAVENGERE Mandla Mavengere worked primarily in the Gallery and Special Projects units. He assisted with ar st's files and biographical informa on, the documenta on of prints and filing thereof as well as sales in the Gallery.

Mandla has excellent communica on skills verbally and in wri ng. His tasks overlapped with the Special Projects unit as much of the informa on collected and documented gets shared with this team to put out onto the website. In his review he credited his mentors with teaching him how to document artwork correctly, keeping the viewfinder straight when photographing images as well as edi ng. Jeanne Marie du Bois and Nathi Simelane taught him tools in photoshop to correct and edit images for client catalogue and powerpoint presenta ons. In his review, he highlighted exis ng gaps in procedures and communica ons between the gallery and special projects/marke ng units par cularly in the sharing of images and ar sts files.

Mandla was selected for the Fresh Produce Mentorship programme which included working with ar st mentors and developing his third year body of artwork. He made fairly large scale prints with mul ple plates. He o en worked through the night to complete his artwork and a empted not to cut into his work placement me.

His last task for the internship was designed to encompass all lessons and skills learned throughout the internship. He was selected to coordinate and manage the Partnerships and Patrons Exhibi on on 24th November at Strauss and co. The Gallery and Special Projects team was impressed by his pa ence and professionalism as well as his ability to work with various staff members, clients and students under immense pressure and delivered on me. This resulted in APS pu ng his name forward for an internship at the Kentridge Studio where he is now employed.

Mandlenkosi Mavengere - A Place I Call Home - 2015

Mandlenkosi Mavengere - Kwandinovha-Where I come From-2015

Mandlenkosi Mavengere - The Migrants - 2017

26

LINDO ZWANE Lindo Zwane is always up for a challenge. This year he has worked with the Educa on Coordinator and Drawing teacher, Rene Mathibe. He also had an opportunity to work with all the Printmaking teachers including Luzuko Dayile, Sizwe Khoza and Lucas Nkgweng.

For his review, Lindo selected three students in ďŹ rst year as case studies tracking their challenges and struggles in both printmaking and drawing.

Lindo was also mentee to Sizwe Khoza and helped him with the prin ng of monotypes towards his exhibi on at APS. They have since March both chosen to work together in an outside studio. Lauren Woolf, Zwane's mentor and patron since he was in second year, con nued to support him through mentorship and networking.

During his review Lindo spoke at length about his posi ve experience of being personally mentored by a senior ar st. He would like to con nue this process and has discussed ways of doing this with the team. In many ways Lindo has found his independence in his own artmaking and is forging a name for himself as a charcoal-drawing ar st. We are fortunate that he chose to con nue his work in the Educa on Unit as a drawing facilitator.

Lindo Zwane - Woza Sodlala - 2017

Lindo Zwane - Un tled IV - 2016

27

SIFISO TEMBA Sifiso Temba had an excellent rela onship with his mentor Robyn Nesbi and assisted her in the facilita on of Third Year students as well as Cri cal Studies with Second Year students.

When Temba began his internship with the 3rd year students he iden fied gaps in the curriculum and then planned lessons to address the problems the students encountered, whether in wri ng, speaking or the crea on of their work. The 3rd year students were struggling to communicate visually, find their own personal language and express this visually in their body of work.

He held a lesson on 'instant word games' to help them broaden their vocabulary. Students were also asked to use descrip ve words with emo on and to communicate how the word and feeling translated into an image. This ini a ve helped feed into the ar st statement and biography wri ngs. In term 2, he ini ated a collabora on project to get students to work together and allow other people to contribute to their ideas. Students were asked to work in pairs and allow their partners to take their ideas and concepts and interpret them. He also assisted students on a daily basis with technical and conceptual challenges they faced.

In term 3, for his individual final project, he worked closely with two students who struggled with prin ng and developing a colour pale e. In both instances he assisted them with prin ng and oversaw their techniques. Temba has since been working closely with Alphabet Zoo, APS Alumni at their studios developing new ideas and iconography. This has greatly impacted on his work and his personal iconography. He has been selling prints at APS and has a series of new work featured below at Art it is.

Sifiso Temba - Cash King - 2017

Sifiso Temba - I Chose To - 2017

28

GOOLAM SABER Goolam Saber completed a design course before coming to the studio. He is mul -skilled and has a wide range of interests including outreach, artmaking, prin ng and facilita on. He has served in all of the units at Ar st Proof Studio and has been reliable and commi ed throughout.

H i s m a i n wo r k p l a c e t ra i n i n g ex p e r i e n c e wa s i n t h e S p e c i a l Projects/Marke ng unit. He also photographed and framed artworks for the art connec on project when he was a third year student in 2014 and a ended an inhouse web development course with Nathi Simelane who mentored him to liase with partner organizsa ons and install artwork. To date he has managed two projects on his own.

Saber was also involved in hos ng and facilita ng numerous workshops across units including educa on, gallery and special projects. He managed children from aged six to adults . The studio has received a number of glowing reports about his interac ons with par cipants, (one from Sparrow Schools with Special Needs teenagers). We accepted a deaf student into our full me learning programme this year and Saber along with Rene Mathibe have been learning sign language at St Vincent's school every Saturday to assist him. Saber, along with SiďŹ so Temba have con nued the Wang Thola Collec ve from 2015 where they engage with numerous social issues and discuss various poli cal and social issues with students and the public. In his capacity as an ar st he has been focusing on making ar sts books one of which was exhibited at this year's Joburg Art Fair. He makes artwork on a daily basis and is interested in combining various skills and talents in his work including, printmaking, sculpture and performance art. He was invited to par cipate on the Booknesses exhibi on in 2017 where he presented a series of sculptural books.

He was selected by APS as an Ampersand nominee along with our Special Projects manager Nathi Simelane. They were both awarded the Ampersand Fellowship and visited New York for 4 weeks. There is no doubt that he will use this opportunity to network, make valuable connec ons and discover new talents which he intends to reinvest back into APS. APS would like to thank Jack Ginsberg and new friends, Marci Seville and Karen Jo Koonan for funding Goolam and Nathi to travel to LA and be exposed to the vibrant mural movement there.

Goolam Saber - Delicious Study I - 2017

Goolam Saber - Conversa ons With the Heart - 2017

Goolam Saber - Delicious Study II - 2017

29

Grahamstown Goolam Saber and Lebohang Motaung were asked if they wanted to go to the Grahamstown Fes val three days before it opened to represent APS. A partner gallery had to pull-out of the event a er having booked and paid for accommoda on and offered it to APS. Motaung and Saber embarked on a 20 hour long bus journey to Grahamstown Na onal Arts Fes val. They arrived at 5am and were followed by the arrival of artworks soon a er.

Carinuss Annex, a small art school studio space on the fringes of the fes val was the des na on. They realised quickly that we would need some sort of adver sing, so they contacted Richard Ncube our studio graphic designer who designed a poster to put up around the Grahamstown which was printed at the local Postnet. As the venue was removed from the main event there was li le foot-traffic. Saber managed to secure a slot in the local newspaper and Lebohang on the radio. Despite the poor sales, they found the experience eye opening and made the effort to network and connect with a variety of people.

excellence through possibilty

Carinus Art Centre

A collaboration of prints by : Colbert Mashile, Sandile Goje, Ramarutha Makoba, Lebohang Sithole, Sizwe Khoza, Goolam Saber, Lebohang Motaung, Abe Mathabe, Kim Berman, Jan Tshikhuthula 30

Pro-Print Studio The artworks sold in the gallery are mostly printed / manufactured in our professional prin ng studio. Prior to the produc on of new projects cos ngs and schedules are reviewed in line with new policies and sales strategies. When the budget has been finalised and it has been agreed with the ar st in how many artworks APS will retain at 100% to recoup ini al produc on costs , prin ng commences.

A er prin ng, the artworks are quality controlled and documented before being taken to the gallery and signed off to allow the next phase which is sales and marke ng. This involves processing and documenta on of the work and pu ng it on to our system as stock. The artworks are then distributed to different consignees and or taken to exhibi ons.

The pro-print shop has recognized the need to focus on increasing Brand & Recogni on through stewarding addi onal ar st rela onships, increasing its web and social media presence and exploring addi onal offerings to engage with the public.

They are working on this with the marke ng unit who have been working on the development of videos that showcase and explain how prints are developed and made with the print technicians. Some of the ar sts who co-published with the Proshop include: William Kentridge, Ramarutha Makoba, Alex Vosloo, Kai Losgo , Mario Soares, Adrian Kohler, Sifiso Temba, Lindo Zwane, Kelebogile Masilo, Jan Tshikhuthula, Sizwe Khoza, Dzunisani Maluleke, Victor Kuster, Bronwyn Findlay, Phillip Mabote, Lebohang Sithole, Norman Catherine and a por olio for the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital.

31

32

Special Projects and Marketing Unit The Special Projects Unit houses outreach, income genera on, social advocacy programmes as well as APS marke ng and branding. It has developed a holis c approach to promo ng social change through art. The approach supports the development of commi ed, skilled, and professional ar sts who make meaningful contribu ons in our society through their engagement with community-based projects. The Unit has established a range of corporate, government and civic partnerships that contribute to a diverse and sustainable funding model. The Special Projects Unit works closely with the Educa on programme to involve students in work-place training, and professional experience where their printmaking skills are eďŹ&#x20AC;ec vely incorporated in a larger context of art-produc on and business.

The Special Projects unit is managed by Nathi Simelane, who manages contracted staďŹ&#x20AC; and interns. He oversees the solicita on, contrac ng and project management of the outreach projects, as well as donor repor ng, other fundraising ac vi es and maintains the website.

Highlights Mandela Day with Convergence Partners at Copessa As part of our annual 67 Minutes ini a ve, the APS team spent the day at COPESSA in Protea Glen, Soweto. This year we were joined by Convergence Partners, who partner with a long-term funder and supporter of our Educa on programme, Dimension Data. Together, the teams completed a 15 meter mural that comprised of drawings done by the children who a end the a erschool programme at the ark. The children's reac on when they saw the complete mural was very sa sfying to all who par cipated. The park looked very neat a er all the trash was picked up. A connec on was formed with a few local teenagers who have con nued to keep the park clean.

33

The Market Theatre Mural Commision The mural team was on stand-by to start a mural commission that had been delayed for over a year due to the delays in construc on of The Market Theatre Founda on 'campus'. In August, our team managed to start produc on on the 15 x 26+ meter mural that spans three ďŹ&#x201A;oors upward on a curved wall. For this project skilled APS alumni and students were selected to par cipate based on their level of experience. The team led by Nathi Simelane featured Nompumelelo Ngoma, Jan Tshikhuthula, Kelebogile Masilo, Reneilwe Mathibe and interns Lebohang Motaung and Goolam Saber.

Early stages of pain ng a er drawing was complete

34

The mural on the curved wall is the main feature and was the ďŹ rst in a phased series of artworks created for the space. For the ďŹ rst phase, Nathi Simelane and Themba Khumalo designed the mural, the fabric for the wrap-around benches and the carpet. The artwork was designed in accordance with a brief. The comple on date of the project was the 23rd September 2016.

The delay of the project by over 12 months put a tremendous amount of pressure on the team who were booked on other scheduled projects. When the project was ini ated, the scale and height of some areas of the mural was a challenge with some ar sts not being able to overcome their fear of heights. This limited the number of hands we had working on higher levels of the mural. As the site was s ll under construc on, the environment was precarious and strict safety measures to ensure the safety of the team during produc on had to be adhered to. With a very ght deadline and dangerous working environment, our team was able to complete the mural to the standard APS is known for. Overcoming challenges faced in this project, the team executed a mural that the client and team were pleased with.

35

Fun Art Fridays The APS Outreach Programme partnered with Curriculum Development Project (CDP) to facilitate an a er-school art programme called Fun Art Fridays. APS Project Coordinator Goolam Saber worked with Brenda Ramadiehe, APS alumni and facilitator at CDP, to strengthen their art skills through classes scheduled two days a week from August to November 2016. In crea ng safe communi es, the CDP runs a Fun Art Friday project where children from Bertrams and the surrounds engage in art making every Friday at the CDP Art Centre. The project aims to take children off the streets of Bertrams and place them in a safe environment in which they engage in fun ar s c ac vi es. Through this project we hope to tap into the skills and talents that the children possess and are not exposed to in schools. We believe that some of the children who are part of the project may, at some point in their lives, fall back on these skills as sources of income.

Project Strengths: ·

Through this project the arts have proved to add value in building the children's self-confidence and reaching previously disengaged young people who are commi ed to the programme and a end every Friday

·

Skills sharing and job crea on for facilita ng ar sts

·

Keeps the children off the street and teaches them about the values of sharing, while developing self-awareness and awareness of each other (especially important in a diverse community such as the Bertams with obvious racial divides and prejudices).

·

Enables children to have a direct involvement with the arts and with ar sts who are experts in their fields

The Artinsure/Hollard Mural Commission Ar nsure, Hollard and Ar st Proof Studio partnered on a mural campaign where a team of APS students and alumni painted 4 large-scale artworks at the stairwells of Hollard head offices during the months of September and October. The aim of the campaign was to promote APS affiliated ar sts and provide arts educa on to the staff both at Ar nsure and Hollard. APS approached various ar sts that print with the studio to not only provide artworks to be used on this campaign, but also get involved in doing print demnstra ons and deliver insigh ul talks about the work. Ar sts featured in this pilot phase included Jan Tshikhuthula, Bevan de Wet, Lebohang Motaung and Themba Khumalo.

36

Print demonstra ons by APS students inside

The partnership included a workplace training component for APS' pilot 4th year internship programme. With Goolam Saber and Lebohang Motaung being trained as assistant coordinators on project management by Nathi Simelane, the team was guided through the steps of successfully comple ng a large scale mural project. Their involvement in the ini al stages of the campaign saw the selected coordinators effec vely lead the rest of the interns and students throught the last phase of artworks.

Special Projects mentorship of students included aspects of marke ng, which the interns workshoped intensely in the first quarter of the year with facilitator Lauren Woolf. Social Media feeds need to be constantly updated with the exci ng progress of the murals. Art insure, Hollard and APS shared each other’s feeds, increasing the following of audiences who would otherwise not know about the Ar nsure /APS partnership.

37

Ar nsure extended its support of featured ar sts by purchasing their artworks and hos ng compe Fair and FNB Joburg Art Fair to promote the ar sts from the mural campaign. These small compe

ons at Turbine Art ons acted as

'ac va ons' to gain visibility and discourse around the campaign. As a result two radio interviews were secured to talk about the partnership and campaign. APS and the ar sts beneďŹ ted immensely from the level of engagement and exchange from Ar nsure.

Lebohang Motaung was a featured ar st Joburg Art Fair's guided tours. Her artwork was also printed in bu ons given to all who a ended the tours.

Her artwork was awarded to a lucky winner who a ended the guided tour.

38

The successful comple on of four murals in the pilot phase ensured that APS con nues to feature more aďŹ&#x192;liated ar sts and paint 5 more murals throughout the insurance campus in 2017. The mentored interns have been earmarked to adopt onsite project management roles during the next phase.

39

The Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital Trust Print Portfolio Commission APS received a commission through Zethu Arts for the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. The print por olio tled 10 Decades of Madiba, drew inspira on from aspects of Nelson Mandela's life. It is intended that the images of the por olio will be framed throughout the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital with remaining por olios sold to raise funds for the hospital.

The print por olio features prints by: Jan Tshikhuthula, Lloyd Maluleke, Ma hews Makgotlho, Luzuko Dayile, Lindokuhle Zwane, Lucas Nkgweng, Nkosana Nhlapo, Bokang Mankoe, Phillip Mabote, Sifiso Temba, Alexandré Vosloo, Pontsho Sikhosana and Lebogang Sithole. The print por olio tle “ 10 Decades of Mandela” drew inspira on from different aspects of Madiba’s life.

10 Decades of Madiba

40

Lalela The Art Connec on Blurb Art Connec on SA and Lalela Arts Project in the inner partnered on a campaign that aims at harnessing and celebra ng the ar s c talent from school children in the inner city of Johannesburg. Both projects share a view that arts educa on plays a cri cal role in the social development of young minds.

Lalela's curriculum is primarily centered on equipping school learners with crea ve arts skills and knowledge and through the arts to empower them to make posi ve impact in their community. APS aims to develop ar sts to become ac ve ci zens in their communi es through art. Together, APS and Lalela focused on expanding the exis ng Lalela curriculum with the inclusion of various printmaking techniques taught to school learners. The artworks generated formed part of an exhibi on that took place at Cons tu on Hill on 2nd April 2017.

Art Connec on SA framed the artworks for the ConHill exhibi on.The artworks were later donated to schools that work closely with Lalela. The programme aims to educate learners, educators and members of the public on how art plays a signiďŹ cant role in posi vely transforming a public space.

41

SECTION 3: FINANCIAL REPORT The 2017 Financial Report indicates that we are in a solid posi on thanks to all the sales, funding, patrons and sponsors.

Financial success and self-sustainability is an ongoing drive that that we strive towards. Our Financial Statements are prepared by Douglas & Velcich CA (SA) for the ninth consecu ve year in accordance with Interna onal Financial Repor ng Standards (IFRS) required by the Companies Act of South Africa.

41%

2% 2% 5% 1% 17%

32%

Gallery Sales

Print Shop

Registration Fees

Patron Sponsor

Grants & Donations

William Kentridge Sales Interest Received

The 2017 ďŹ nancial year clearly indicates that our main source of income consists of gallery sales together with William Kentridge sales. The next main por on of income is derived from Grants and Dona ons.

Sales History 8 000 000.00

7 000 000.00

6 000 000.00

5 000 000.00

4 000 000.00

3 000 000.00

2 000 000.00

1 000 000.00

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

The past 6 years has shown an upward trend despite the challenging economic circumstances.

42

Sales History Income vs Expenses 10 000000 9 000000 8 000000 7 000000 6 000000 5 000000 4 000000 3 000000 2 000000 1 000000 0 2014

2015 Income

2016

2017

Expenses

The income bar is made up of all the income and is not limited to sales only. Income is shown in the le hand bar (green) and the right hand bar (red) refers to our expenses. Our main expenses in 2017 were salaries as well as materials. Other expenses are rent, insurance, repairs & maintenance, courier costs etc.

The financial year for 2017 we end off on a stable posi on where we are able to pay off any immediate liabili es. Our reserves have been maintained and we have had very successful exhibi ons throughout the year

Stock Value 35 000 000 00

30 000 000 00

25 000 000 00

20 000 000 00

15 000 000 00

10 000 000 00

5 000 000 00

2015

2016

2017

43

Way Forward Over the past year APS has focused primarily on developing systems flows and be er communica ons between units. There have been numerous staff changes and restructuring to accommodate these changes following the APS Endowment Auc on in November 2015. Our branding and marke ng policy has also been developed and we are moving towards the third phase of our marke ng and sales strategy of implemen ng an online shop in 2017.

The unit teams at APS have worked hard to develop an overall brand with educa on, development and empowerment remaining core to our ethos and purpose as an organisa on. Numerous rela onships with funders, corporate strategic partners, friends of the studio and associated ar sts have helped us remain ahead of the compe

on and remain true to our

purpose of developing and harnessing excellence through possibility.

In 2017, we plan on implemen ng addi onal changes to our organisa onal structure including the phasing in of a Managing Director and Marke ng Manager and a more reduced and focused role of our Execu ve Director. The new financial year will also see ac vi es becoming more streamlined with outreach and all funded projects moving into the Educa on unit and marke ng func ons (including the online sales pla orm), becoming its own division that serves the func on of branding and communica ons for APS. Our aim in the future is to con nue to develop, serve and promote emerging ar sts while simultaneously being the ‘go to’ place for excellent quality prints. We hope to con nue to inspire and play an important role in the future of arts educa on in South Africa through the dissemina on of 26 years of educa onal experience and the sharing of knowledge with valued educa on partners.

Given the current arts educa on crisis in schools, we recognize that as an arts organisa on that has served the community and addressed educa onal gaps throughout our history, we have a responsibility to advocate for change to ensure the crea ve spirit and talent of South African youth with the poten al to succeed in the arts is not systema cally stamped out at great expense to the arts and crea ve industries.

We look forward to another year of possibility and change.

44

Acknowledgements ARTIST PROOF STUDIO PARTNERS, FUNDERS, PATRONS 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016 2016/2017 2016 2016/2017 2016/2017 2017 2016 2016 2016 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2016/2017 2017 2016/2017 2016 2016/2017 2016/2017

AMPERSAND FOUNDATION ANDREW & JACKIE MURRAY APS BOARD OF DIRECTORS BIDVEST FOUNDATION CREATIVE FEEL DIMENSION DATA DELOITTE DEBBIE AND DAVID RASIEL FASKEN MARTINEAU GARY KAYLE & HAYLEY PARRY NATIONAL LOTTERIES COMMISSION FRIENDS OF ARTIST PROOF STUDIO, BOSTON (FOAPS) HOLLARD/ARTINSURE LAUREN WOOLF MANDI SEVILLE & KAREN JO KOONAN MARKET THEATRE FOUNDATION MARY SHERWOOD BROCK MARY SLACK AND DAUGHTERS FOUNDATION MASTRANTONIO/ARTE VITA NATIONAL ARTS COUNCIL NICKY WESSELS NOMAHLUBI SHEZI RAND MERCHANT BANK SA TAXI FOUNDATION SHIELA LEVINSON SOUTH AFRICA DEVELOPMENT FUND STRAUSS AND CO. SUE MARTIN SUSIE GOODMAN THE BOSTON ART CONNECTION EXPANSION THE MONEY SCHOOL UNIVERSITY OF JOHANNESBURG WILLIAM KENTRIDGE

Ar st Exchanges Patron Partner Partner Funder Partner Patron Partner Partners Funder Partner Partner Patron Patron & Partner Partner Patron Funder Partner Funder Patron Patron & Partner Funder Partner & Patron Partner Partner Partner Patron Patron Funder Partner Partner Partner

45

excellence through possibilty

WHO WE ARE

A

r st Proof Studio is a printmaking centre of excellence, founded in 1991 by the late Nhlanhla Xaba and Kim Berman. We specialise in printmaking through a variety of diverse partnerships with young ar sts, established professionals, community groups, patrons, and funders. The organisa on has been ac ve in the Newtown Cultural Precinct in Central Johannesburg for 26 years and has been one of the pioneering community art centres in the area since before its development as a cultural hub.

46