The South African Arts and Culture Youth Forum (SAACYF) in the Free State has accused the Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation of dividing creative practitioners.
This follows the Free State Community Arts Centres Network gathering allegedly held in Bloemfontein between 13-15 September by the Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation.
SAACYF condemned the department saying it doesn’t care about artists in the Free State and they are 100% behind every Free State creative.

“We are disappointed by the department for not considering other Free State legitimate structures but they considered individuals within our sector .We are very surprised to see the program continue without formal invitations. The department has shown that it is not ready to
work with legitimate structures representing artists but has favourites,” said SAACYF Provincial Secretary, Linda Ngqotwana.
Linda said they want to know why the Free State Department Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation divides artists in the province saying this demonstrated that the Cultural Directorate Office is committed to working with certain artists, but not all of them.
Linda has made a call to artists in the province to join them as they will be “visiting” the department’s Cultural Directorate Office.
He continued, “It is time as the Free State Creatives and Cultural Practitioners to practice our rights because some artists in the Free State are being overlooked and taken for granted. The current Arts & Culture Directorate must listen and we are calling on MEC Ntombizanele Sifuba
to intervene on this one. This department must respect us as organizations representing the creative sector and must take us seriously.”
Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation Spokespeson Tankiso Zola could not be reached for a comment.