South Africa History Online has embarked, with the support of the NIHSS, on researching the role of the arts under apartheid. We hope that our work will encourage individuals to come forward to help us develop a more complex picture of the history of the groups and collectives that played a role in developing what became known as the people’s arts movement. We want to understand, through research, both of the archive as well as personal stories, how the Apartheid state machinery tried to control what was produced by whom, and how the educational system and state support for the arts created a vast system of privilege which was offered to White artists and audiences.


MUSEUMS

Bensusan Museum of Photography and Library

District 6 Museum

JAG - Johannesburg Art Gallery

Museum Africa

Pretoria Art Museum

South African National Gallery (SANG)

Slave Lodge

The Owl House

Wits Art Museum

EDUCATION CENTRES

Bill Ainslie Studios

Culture and Working Life Project (CWLP)

The Dakawa Arts and Crafts Centre

The Durban Centre

Abangani Art Centre

The Durban Centre for Photography

EOAN Group

FUNDA Community College

University of Johannesburg Department of Visual Art

Jubilee Art Centre

The Market Photo Workshop

Thupelo (1985)

Michaelis School of Fine Art – University of Cape Town

Music, Dance, Arts and Literature Institute (MDALI)

National School of Arts

New Africa Theatre Project

Ndaleni Art School in Richmond

The Open School

Rorke’s Drift Art School

Ruth Prowse School of Art

The Department of Fine Art at Walter Sisulu University

University of Stellenbosch

UNISA Department of Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology

Wits School of Arts (WSOA)

THEATRES AND CONCERT VENUES

African Consolidated Theatres 

Arena

The Performing Arts Councils (PACs)

Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB)

Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State (PACOFS)

Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT)

Bantu Dramatic Society

The Baxter

The Company 

Federation of Amateur Theatrical Societies of South Africa (FATSSA)

Fugard Theatre

Grahamstown Amateur Company

Junction Avenue Theatre (1976)

Magnet Theatre

Market Theatre

Maynardville Open Air Theatre

Musical Action for People’s Progress (MAPP)

The Natal Performing Arts Council (NAPAC)

Natal Theatre Council in Durban

National Theatre

National Theatre Organisation

Nico Malan Theatre Centre

The People's Experimental Theatre

Playhouse in Durban

Presidensie Theater - Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State (PACOFS)

Rainbow Restaurant

The Space

South African State Theatre

Soweto Theatre

Theatre Laboratory - Cape Performing Arts Board (CAPAB)

COMMERCIAL GALLERIES

Everard Read

Gallery 101

Goodman Gallery

Helen de Leeuw Gallery

Stevenson Gallery

Tatham Art Gallery

NON-PROFIT ART SPACES

African Art Centre

African Institute of Art (AIA)

Alexandra Arts Centre

Artist Proof Studio

Community Arts Project (CAP)

Community Arts Workshop (CAW)

Dance for All (DFA)

Imvaba Arts Association

Johannesburg Art Foundation

Katlehong Arts Centre

Loosely Affiliated Group’s (LAG)

Media Project

Mitchell’s Plain Arts

Mofolo Arts Center (Mofolo Cultural Bowl and Arts Centre) (1970s)

Natal Society of Arts Gallery - KZNSA

Natal Visual Arts Organisation (NAVAO)

Nyanga Arts Centre

Polly Street

Poster Workshop

S A Fine Arts Association

ARTIST RESIDENCIES

The Bag Factory

Greatmore Studios

FESTIVALS / CONFERENCES

Culture & Resistance Conference (1982)

The CASA Conference

Dance Umbrella

Infecting the City

KKNK – Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees

1st Johannesburg Biennale

2nd Johannesburg Biennale

National Arts Festival

The State of Art in South Africa Conference

COLLECTIVES / SUPPORT / UNIONS

Afrapix

Africa South Art Initiative (ASAI)

The Arts and Council Trust (ACT)

Arts and Cultural Development Network (ACDN)

Association of Community Arts Centres (ACAC)

Congress for South African Writers (COSAW)

Cultural Workers Congress

Federation of South African Cultural Organisations (FOSACO)

Federated Union of Black Artists Arts Centre (1978)

Film and Allied Workers Organisation (FAWO)

Ikapa Arts Trust

Kagiso Trust

National Arts Council (NAC)

Natal Cultural Congress (NCC)

South African Fine Arts Society

South African Workers' Cultural Unit (SAWCU)

Vakalisa Arts Association

Visual Arts Group (VAG)

Collections in the Archives