Department of Arts and CultureDepartment of Arts and Culture
 
 
 
 
About Us
 
 
art work

Our Vision

We are a thriving arts, culture and heritage sector contributing to sustainable economic development, leveraging on partnerships for a socially cohesive nation.

Our Mission

We enhance job creation by preserving, protecting and developing arts, culture and heritage to sustain our democracy and build our nation.

Our Values

The Department of Arts and Culture is guided by the following values:

  • Accountability
  • Integrity
  • Results-driven
  • Professionalism
  • Humility
  • Batho Pele

 

Our Strategic Goals

The DAC response to its stated mandate and the outcomesbased approach and consideration of the environment discussed above, informs the DAC Strategic Goals which are as follows:

  • Enhanced access to information
  • Enhanced development, protection and preservation of arts, culture and heritage
  • Increased economic development and empowerment
  • Entrenched linguistic diversity
  • Advanced social cohesion and democracy
  • Enhanced governance and accountability

The Premise, Promise and Pledge

Our premise is the unshakeable conviction that arts and culture and heritage are not hobbies or ‘entertainment.’
They are an outward expression of that which stirs in man’s soul to reveal itself as commercial products that are testament to the present and how it is inextricably linked to the past and future.

We are committed to the development, promotion and development of arts, culture and heritage sector as the cornerstone of job creation, skills development and economic self-determination. The empowerment of the creative class is the meaning of purpose.

Our promise is to do our best to forge closer links between the public and private sectors through partnerships that foster social cohesion and nation-building. The realisation of a non-racial, non-sexist and unified country is the purpose of our existence.


Our pledge is not only to indulge the nation in our creative outputs. It is to provide access to information in a manner that establishes ties that bind among all the people of the land, between the citizens and State. The meaning of our existence is a non-racial, non-sexist and united nation.

Above all, it is to mainstream arts, culture and heritage activities as instruments for transformation and tools for economic self-liberation, especially among the historically disadvantaged individuals and communities.

Legislative Mandate of the department

The mandate of the department is derived from the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, including from the Preamble and Founding Provisions, in particular:

Section 16(1): Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes:

  • freedom of the press and other media;
  • freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;
  • freedom of artistic creativity; and
  • academic freedom and freedom of scientific research

Section 30:
Everyone has the right to use the language and to participate in the cultural life of their choice, but
no one exercising these rights may do so in a manner inconsistent with any provision of the Bill of
Rights.

Section 32(1): Everyone has the right of access to:

  • any information held by the state; and
  • any information that is held by another person and that is required for the exercise or protection of any rights

The primary legislative framework of the Department emanates from the following Acts:

Leadership

Programmes

Portfolio Committee on Arts and Culture

 
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