It was 1995 at the orphanage on 180d Albert Street in downtown Johannesburg - a humble place and hopeful space, and a birthplace, as it was here the Little Artists School project was ignited by social entrepreneur and South African fine artist Edward Selematsela. It was also here that Marshalltown exhibited a new picture. One that flowed from the desire to do better by children who had done nothing bad to deserve starting life out with nothing.
The founder of the Little Artists School, Edward Selematsela, worked as a child and youth caregiver in an orphanage while studying Fine Art at Eastside College. He realised that the children had nothing to do after school, except to vandalise cars and steal the radios, in and around the city.
He decided to create a new choice for these children by using art as a tool to take them off the streets. His inspired project saw him teach art to the first 25 - 30 Little Artists.
Many of these children came from the streets of Johannesburg where they had never experienced love or a kind word, only insults and abuse from the public. By Edward encouraging them to attend his classes in the afternoons, he was able to prove to them that they could change how they felt about themselves – and that they could build themselves a future.
Journey with us and draw inspiration from the impact of the Little Artists NPO as it draws new lines of hope for vulnerable children.
One of the primary objectives of the community school is to encourage the development of artists from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. To support the children who have no funds for formal art tuition and by doing so, to give them access to not only tuition but an opportunity to exhibit their art at exhibitions and competitions.
The goals of the Little Artists School are to:
• Raise funding for students to be able to attend University or College;
• Develop competency in the students who are willing to undertake the daily running of the project.
Children from orphanages, shelters and disadvantaged backgrounds attend our art classes at the studio on Monday to Friday afternoons. Over and above learning creativity, they are taught how to accept responsibilities, become mentors to other students and to gain confidence knowing that they are doing something for which they can be appreciated.
• Encourage senior students within the school to apply for advanced courses in Art Education, Project Management and preparing them for tertiary education by assisting them in putting together their art portfolios when requesting sponsorship/funding from individuals or donors;
Art is an important facet in the holistic development of young people. Through art they learn to engage, be responsible and compassionate with others and in this way help to build and become members of a stable society. This is vital for the economic growth and social stability of South Africa moving forward, which is why the Little Artists School welcomes partnerships to enable it to keep growing its impact through Social Development through Art.
Since the inception of the Little Artists School, approximately 1 500 children have benefited from art tuition. Over the years the project has sponsored several students’ further education and training after they completed Grade 12.
Some of our student’s achievements include:
• Three young men were enabled to study at the Johannesburg Central College for two year courses.
• Five young men and two young women attended Goldfields Academy workshops.
• Two matriculants started their own welding business, in Rosendal in the Free State.
• Alex Tsola‘s Bachelor of Commerce studies at the University of the Free State were sponsored by the School and he became the youngest Branch Manager to manage the Knysna branch of Capitec Bank.
• Past students – Boderick Somane, Bheki Mtetwa, Ramarutha Makoba, Mahlatse Motedi, Nditsheni Managa, Tshepo Selematsela, Ndivhuo Munungufhala, Buhle Hlatshawayo – have all been selected to exhibit at Artists Under the Sun at Zoo Lake on a permanent basis.
• Mahlatse Motedi’s Fine Art studies at Intec College were funded by the Little Artists School.
• Nqobile Mntambo’s Graphic Design studies at Rosebank College were sponsored by the Little Artists School for two years and she has now started her own online magazine.
• Ndivhuo Munungufhala has completed a Video Production Short Course at Boston Media College and a Certificate in Bookkeeping from Milpark Business School.
• Keletso Matlakala, Buhle Hlatshawayo, Mahlatse Motedi and Ndivhuo Munungufhala all won first, second, third and fourth place prizes respectively at the Black Like Us art competition.
• Ndivhuo Munungufhala, Keletso Matlakala and Nditsheni Managa were sponsored to attend print making classes at the Artist Proof Studio in Newtown, Johannesburg, where they graduated in 2014.
• Buhle Hlatshawayo made it to the top 100 Sasol Young Signatures Award 2015, and Thami Mnyele was featured in the Top 100 of 2015 and 2016.
• Cynthia Sifa graduated from the Artist Proof Studio in 2020.
EXHIBITIONS AT WHICH LITTLE ARTISTS STUDENTS HAVE BEEN FEATURED:
• The “Dulcie Robinson Memorial Exhibition”
• An exhibition held at Deutsche Bank, Sandton
• Black Like Us
• Alice Art Gallery
• Art Gallery on Milner
• Chefs who Share Fundraiser in Cape Town
• Summer Place hosted by Laurium Capital
• Zoo Lake in Rosebank
• Victoria Yards
• L A Studio, Braamfontein
• 2017 An exhibition celebrating emerging African artists in collaboration with The Society for Animals in Distress “The Art of Intervention”
• 2018 An exhibition held at Graham’s Fine Art Gallery in collaboration with The Society For Animals in Distress' 60th Anniversary celebration
• 2018 An exhibition at the JSE sponsored by Deutsche Bank SA Foundation in collaboration with the JSE
• 2021 An exhibition at the Il Contadino restaurant in collaboration with the Happy Yappers organisation
• 2022 An exhibition at Bamboo Studio, Melville
• 2023 Invited to participate in the “EWT Picturing Pangolins Competition” which was won by the children of the Little Artists School Project
• 2023 EWT 50th Celebration Event. The children were invited to participate in the “World Rhino Day Art Competition” and once again, Little Artists won the competition and the winning artwork was auctioned at the celebration and raised R3 475
• 2023 An exhibition held at FirstRand for the Teachers and Students of Little Artists
Individual Little Artist students have also had works accepted by various galleries:
Vuyelwa Ncembi
Fab Artists Gallery
Lazarus Ramontseng
The Travelling Art Gallery – Germany
Cynthia Sifa
Latitude Art Fair
Lucas Kumba
Fab Artists Gallery, Latitude Art Fair
Bheki Mthethwa
ART Beat
Buhle Hlatshwayo
Sasol
Moeketsi Moahlodi
The Travelling Art Gallery – Germany
Mahlatse Motedi
Johannesburg Art Gallery
Maremane Kgosana
IDC Gallery
Nditsheni Managa
ABSA Gallery
Lewis Muziti
Brainstorm Magazine
Jabu Radebe
Rotary Art Festival
Nqobile Nqimbi
Minuteman
Boderick Somana LAE
Edward Selematsela Founder, Chairman and Art Teacher
Christine Randall
Sharon Banner
Ndivhuo Munungufhala
Nditsheni Managa
Lesego Ditshego
Financial Manager
Volunteer Fundraising Manager
Office Administrator
Studio Manager
Project Administrator
EDWARD SELEMATSELA
Edward is a renowned artist from GaModjadji in the Limpopo province of South Africa and the Founder of Little Artists. He studied art and business at Eastside College and UNISA. Art collectors from Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Namibia, USA, Mozambique, Colombia, Angola, Netherlands, Germany and England, have invested in his work.
In 1997 he received the Merit of Excellence award from the French cultural centre in Pessac, Bordeaux in France. He has won several art competitions around Gauteng and his intaglio relief art piece: "The Journey to Travel" earned him first place at the Black Like Us art competition (2011) which was sponsored by Joburg City Mayor Herman Mashaba and Deutsche Bank South Africa.
He was awarded a Citadel for being the most improved artist in 2006 by the Manor Gallery and has been recognised by Webber Wentzel Bowens for improving the lives of youth through art. He was a curator and facilitator at the Standard Bank Art Gallery, teaching the public about the importance of saving water through a group of local artists’ collections through an exhibition titled "Water The Delicate Thread of Life".
He has exhibited in galleries including the Johannesburg Art Gallery, ABSA
Art Gallery, Kim Kubiak Gallery USA, Pretoria Art Museum, Alliance Francais, Circa Rosebank, Bamboo Upstairs, Mercedes Benz Gala, Graham's Fine Art Gallery, Turbine Art Fair, amongst others.
Edward is deeply committed to his art as a full-time artist, while he remains true to his roots of being a social entrepreneur, as he also voluntarily teaches art to children and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds in Johannesburg weekly at the Little Artists School that he founded in 1995. In the region of 1 500 students have benefited from the project he started from an orphanage with 20 students. In his view, one of his career highlights took place in 2006, when he accompanied six of his prominent Little Artists students to London to take in the city’s age-old art experiences after they won the Deutsche Bank art award at the William Kentridge Urban Age exhibition at the Johannesburg Art Gallery.
The following corporates are some of collectors of his work:
The Deutsche Bank South Africa
Africa Museum
Development Bank of South Africa
Laurium Capital
Johannesburg City Council
South African Embassy (Madagascar)
University of Johannesburg
Caxton Publishers
L’Oreal and many more...
Nditsheni Managa is a practicing visual artist from the village of Ha-Matsa in Nzhelele, Limpopo in South Africa. He is a volunteer at the Little Artists School with the life goal of teaching children to discover their inner artist.
After completing his schooling at the Mulenga Secondary School in Ha-Matsa, Nditsheni moved to Tshwane to broaden his opportunities and study. Two years after that he made the move to Johannesburg where he worked at the Art Gallery on Milner, completed a three year part-time printmaking course at the Artist Proof Studio and obtained a certificate in Professional Practice in the Visual Art Seminar with Art Source South Africa. He is dedicated to making a contribution to uplift next generation artists who would not otherwise get exposure to the world of art, whilst building his portfolio as a professional artist.
Nditsheni’s work has been exhibited at the ABSA L’Atelier Competition, Johannesburg Art Gallery sponsored by Deutsche Bank, Deutsche Bank Office, Industrial Development Corporation organised by Mpumalanga Traditional Art Market, Black Like Us, Artbeat Gallery, Artzone Pop Up Gallery, Art Gallery on Milner, Manor Gallery, Chefs who Share, Springfontein Eats, Artists Under The Sun, Circa, Turbine Art Fair with Art Source South Africa, Alice Art Gallery, Dulcie Robinson memorial exhibition and Vox United Fundraising Exhibition.
Lesego Ditshego is an active visual artist and printmaker from Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg.
After she matriculated she went on to study English Literature and Communication Sciences, but soon found her way to the visual arts and later graduated from the Artist Proof Studio in
Johannesburg as a professional printmaker.
Lesego is passionate about engaging with girls and young women in the community through art and literature. Finding ways of working with them to improve on the skills needed to become self-sufficient people in society.
She has participated in print exchanges such as the ILRIG (the International Labour Research and Information Group, Cape Town ) print calendar project, centred around women activism, in 2021. As well as the APS, UJ & UP student print collaboration exchange, titled, ‘Waste Reclaimers’, for documenta fifteen, in Germany, 2022. Her work has also featured in the Art Times, December 2022 issue.
She was also part of the ‘I Am Worthy’ all woman group exhibition at the Viewing Room Art Gallery in Pretoria, Gauteng in 2023.
In the same year her printmaking work was part of the Artist Proof Studio print collection that was featured at the Investec Cape Town Art Fair and the RMB Latitudes Art Fair.
Lesego joined Little Artists as an arts project administrator in 2023, this has opened up opportunities for her to further engage within the community.
Ndivhuo Munungufhala is a Johannesburg based Arts Administrator and Education Facilitator at the Artist Proof Studio. After her matriculation she obtained certificates in call centre operations, printmaking, video production and bookkeeping. She volunteers part of her time at the Little Artists School Project where she serves as an administrator, with a focus that is resolute in the development goal of training young aspiring artists. She has been a representative assisting artists at The Turbine Art Fair, Johannesburg Art Fair, Fine Art Print Fair, amongst other exhibitions and festivals.
Sharry’s journey with the Little Artists School began in 2017 when she placed a bid on a painting by Jabu Radebe at a fundraising event. Her bid was unsuccessful, so she followed up the next day with the project founder, Edward Selematsela, as she was intent on finding out more about the initiative. This meeting laid the foundation for her to become a meaningful member of the team.
Amongst many fundraising initiatives, Sharry has been instrumental in securing a large studio for Little Artists in Braamfontein, creating a safe environment for the children and the senior artists who teach them. Initially, generous financial support from Charities Unlimited, Vintage with Love and Nando’s made this possible, and more recently another major donor.
Sharry is deeply passionate about the project. She actively arranges art exhibitions for both the full-time artists and children, as well as interacting with other organisations in the industry to establish mutually beneficial relationships. This is fully aligned with her mantra of making a difference in someone’s life every day, no matter how big or small.
In 1996, Christine's neighbour, the late Dulcie Robinson, who was the cofounder of the Little Artists together with Edward Selematsela, invited her to join the board of the Little Artists. At the time she had no idea what she was in for. Needless to say, she has watched the Little Artists go through many ups and some extremely worrying downs over the years.
Christine has watched many young school-going artists become adults and quite a number have become full-time artists.
Virtually only Little Artists' artworks that she has purchased over the years adorn the walls, not only of her own home, but those of family and countless friends whom she has gifted artworks.
Diana is the founder of Ojiji, a program with a mission to empower African artists and children to build a future through art. She also runs a small art school in Johannesburg and volunteers at The Little Artist School.
She is passionate about using art as a therapeutic and empowering tool, especially for underprivileged children.
In addition to her work with Ojiji and the art school, Diana is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Honours and her studies allow her to deepen her understanding of how art can promote emotional healing, selfesteem, and overall well-being.
A passionate advocate for emerging artists and less fortunate children, Diana wishes to inspire, create chances and reach individual dreams, for every artist and child she works with, by connecting them through collaborative art events and sharing their stories with the world.
HOW CAN YOU PARTNER WITH US?
• Sponsor a child for a month R500 – R800 per child.
• Sponsor art materials such as charcoal, pastels, acrylics, canvases, stationery, any HB pencils.
• Contribute or sponsor a portion of the rental for Little Artists Studio. Rental is R20 000 per month at present.
• Provide scholarships for students wishing to attend the National School of the Arts.
ACCESS THE LINK BELOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A DONATION –
Little Artists Schools
ABSA
Account no – 9125820146
Reference – Surname
POP to be emailed to Ndivhuo Tracey Munungufhala at ndivhuom7@gmail.com.
Every milestone in the Little Artists Project journey has been enabled by passionate people and partnerships.
Here are some of the standout moments that have brought us to where we are today, teaching creativity to children who would not otherwise have been able to grow their talent, have the opportunity to express their emotions through art.
The Watercolour Society of South Africa began to support the Little Artists School. Dulcie Robinson contributed with her vast knowledge of art and started organising exhibitions for students. She brought with her Ulrich Shwanecke, Thyrza Stott, Rosemary Pate and Zaria De Villiers and so artists like Boderick Somana, Mandla Hlathi, Thabo Mabusela, Lazarus Ramontseng, Bheki Mthethwa, Buhle Hlatshwayo and Ramarutha Makoba, amongst others, started benefiting from the projects. They have won awards from the Black Like Us competition, Webber Wentzel Bowens art competitions, Citadel and Deutsche Bank.
Deutsche Bank began its sponsorship of the project and organised an annual Little Artists School exhibition at its premises or at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange. Ten paintings were auctioned successfully at the first of these exhibitions as well as various pieces of art.
During the William Kentridge Urban Age Exhibition, six outstanding students - Buhle Hlatshwayo, Thabo Mabusela, Mandla Hlathi, Xola Matai, Boderick Somana and Mahlatse Motedi - were awarded with a trip to London to tour galleries and museums such as the Tate Gallery, Tate Modern, National Gallery, V&A and Shakespeare Museum.
Deutsche Bank obtained permission to alter two change rooms at Barnato Park High School in Berea into two art classrooms for Little Artists. In 2008 the project received its first permanent art home after nine years of temporary accommodations. Deutsche Bank sponsored all renovation work.
The Little Artists community mourned the passing of co-founder Dulcie Robinson.
Sharon Banner bought an artwork created by Jabulani Radebe, a senior artist at the Little Artists School who had grown his career through the project, from his childhood days. She began her journey with the school by adding her fundraising strength to the team. A dynamic collaboration between The Society for Animals in Distress (SAID) featured an exhibition titled "The Art of Intervention" which celebrated emerging South African artists.
In May 2018, the Deutsche Bank South Africa Foundation in collaboration with the Johannesburg Stock Exchange coordinated an exhibition and auction for Little Artists.
On 13 September, SAID, together with the artists from the school celebrated their 60 anniversary.
The phenomenal partnership between Charities Unlimited, Into Jozi and the Little Artists School started in this year through the search for a new home for the art studio. The venture saw the team move into its current studio at 96 Jorissen Street in Braamfontein.
In January 2019, television producer Gary Alfonso visited the studio and was so inspired that he organised for reporters to share the story of the Little Artists School. Other media support was received by Karin D'Orville from SABC 2, who featured the project on Fokus. Stories on the artists and the little artists also featured in the Financial Mail magazine and as a video production on the Sunday Times' website TimesLive. Nandos heated things up as they supported the Little Artists childrens’ year end events in 2019 and 2020. While at the end of 2020, South African media and creative agency Ebony+Ivory got creative as a partner to the brand.
