Art Blog

Artists step up to support equal access to education in SA

Forty diverse artists have joined forces to support one small school striving to do big things by creating a replicable model for equal access to private education in South Africa.

The artists, ranging from struggle icon/political artist Lionel Davis to Director of UCT's Michaelis Art School Fritha Langerman, have all donated work to the New Muizenberg School's (NMS) inaugural Creative Auction fundraiser on 26 October 2021.

Although the arts has been amongst the sectors hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, all 40 artists still stepped up to donate their valuable work due to their fervent belief in the NMS's pioneering equal-access to education model.

The NMS is a community-driven school in the heart of Muizenberg that follows the Waldorf (Rudolph Steiner) curriculum. While there are many Waldorf schools in South Africa, the NMS differs in that it is founded in the belief that all children, no matter their socio-economic background, should be able to access Waldorf-based education within their community. As such, the NMS' fee structure allows parents to pay according to what they earn, and those who cannot afford the minimum are directly sponsored or generally funded via fundraising initiatives.

This pioneering schooling model, which the founders hope will serve as a model that can be replicated throughout South Africa to address the dire inequalities of access to good education, ensures the following:

• 1. Children from diverse socio-economic backgrounds attend the same school and have equal access to Waldorf-based education.
• 2. Children from the community (Muizenberg and its surrounds) are integrated from an early age and taught to understand, accept and respect each other’s differing cultural, religious and socio-economic backgrounds.
• 3. The school is truly integrated and parents are intrinsically involved in the day-to-day running of the school, as well as its long-term goals and mission.

The NMS was founded in 2015 and currently has 5 classes made up of a wide range of children from all races, religions and socio-economic strata. Year by year the NMS is proving that it is possible to provide quality Waldorf-based education for all children, no matter their families' income, and in doing so the school is creating a blueprint for other communities across South Africa to follow.

The NMS's fee structure requires the school to regularly fundraise, and The Creativity Auction aims to be the school’s biggest fundraiser; providing supporters with the opportunity to acquire valuable work from renowned artists at never-to-be-repeated prices, all in support of equal-access education

All artwork will be on display and open for silent bids at The Commons, Surfers Corner Muizenberg, from 19 - 25 October 2021.

The final auction takes place from 5-8pm on Tuesday 26 October 2021, accompanied by live music from jazz band The Hot Club of Cape Town. Buy tickets here.

Due to Covid restrictions, places for the final auction on 26 October are limited and only accessible via a bidder's deposit ticket. Tickets are R100 and available via Quicket: the full ticket price of R100 will be deducted from any artwork purchased; and can be fully refunded or donated to the school if no artwork is purchased.

For more information, visit the NMS Creativity Auction Facebook Page.