FNB VITA ART FNB Vita Awards launched a new fine art award earlier this year, The FNB Vita Art Prize, which is loosely based on the Turner prize run by the Tate Gallery in London.

The FNB Vita Art Prize invited the public to nominate artists who exhibited their work in 1996. Approximately 70 nomi-nations were received. The four selectors have commissioned seven contemporary South African artists as finalists: Willem Boshoff, Peet Pienaar, Tracey Rose, Robyn Orlin and Santu Mofokeng as well as Pat Mautloa and Kay Hassan who are working to-gether. CHOREOGRAPHER Robyn Orlin is more well-known for her 18 years experience in the performing arts as choreographer, performance artist, producer, dancer and teacher. These artists will present new work in October for The FNB Vita Art Prize Exhibition to be held at the Sandton Civic Gallery. At the exhibition, the selection panel will choose one artist as the FNB Vita contemporary artist of the year. This artist will be presented with an award of R20 000.

A WOMAN AT WAR

A Woman At War, a four-part mini-series starting on M-Net on September 19 at 19h00, is directed by Edward Bennett from the novel Inside the Gestapo by Helene Moskiewicz. The cast includes Martha Plimpton, Eric Stoltz, Jack Shepherd, Kika Markham and John Bowler. ICC ART More than R300 000 has been raised by the consultants and contractors to buy artworks for Durban's new International Convention Centre (ICC). Corporate sponsorship has so far added a further R30 000. Development and project managers of ICC, Andrew & Boulle, struck on the idea of introducing local artwork after visiting ICC Birmingham, where this had been done. A competition was established and even-tually commissions were awarded to Andrew Verster (tapestry from oil), Andrew Walford (ceramic murals), Tito Zungu (paintings and pencil) and Walter Oltman (tapestry in metal) as well as Wendy Ross and Estelle Schoeman (fountain design). Wooden statues were commissioned from Sibusiso Maphumulo and Jabulani Mkhize and Ben Nsusha's design for a gate in steel was accepted. DONATE Members of the consultants' team and contractors were asked to donate 0,2% of their income from the project which raised R175 000. ICC Construction donated a further R150 000 with R30 000 coming from Standard Bank. Aside from this Andrew & Boulle donated a magnificent lion, carved by Carl Roberts from a single piece of wild fig driftwood. This sculpture can be seen from the car park entrance into the ICC.

ABASHANTE Well-known kwaito music band Abashante will perform at the BAT Centre's BAT Hall on September 19.

Untouched is the title of a concert to be given at the BAT Hall, BAT Centre, on September 9 by Sunless Ensemble, DJ Derek Hook and guest performance artists.

CONTAINER THEATRE Several years back, principal trumpet player in the Natal Philharmonic Orchestra, Michel Schneuwly, came up with the idea of taking theatre to the people in a container. He based this project on the travelling players and troupes that used to perform around the rural villages in his home country of Switzerland.

Performing Arts in a Container was duly launched, thanks to Container Leasing Africa who sponsored a container which was modified by Unicorn. And the `travelling stage' duly went on tour with a production of The Soldier's Tale. However, budgetary restraints shelved the project for a while until Michel - never one to give up easily - has managed to get it up and running again, thanks to sponsorship from the Arts and Culture Trust of the President, the French Institute of South Africa, Andrew & Boulle, Y Langlois, Yamaha, CLA, Unicorn, J Beare, IOEC and the Playhouse. This time the story is much closer to home - in fact soon after the six NPO musicians have taken their places and launched into the `overture' - a screaming woman is dragged on stage in the throes of a rape threat and the story continues to include gangster warfare and intimidation before amnesty is granted. Hardly the subject to present before township children, one would think, but this new contemporary and highly relevant story by David Basckin, set to music by Ian Holloway, is not all anger and protest. The device of a television remote control swings the action away to commercials which are performed with great gusto by the efficient cast of Mabel Mthombeni, Linda Sokhulu, Nathi Kunene and Thabo Zwane directed by Garth Anderson.

ROYAL ART WALK In an effort to encourage and promote local art as well as to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of KZN, the Royal Hotel has created an Art Walk in the area between the main entrance and the Ulundi restaurant. Resident artists from the BAT Centre Trust have been invited to exhibit their works along this Art Walk from August to October 1997. "The art walk concept has worked very well in certain hotels overseas," says Tessa van Aardt, PRO for Royal Hotel, "and we thought that it would be an interesting feature to develop at the Royal. Since there are many up and coming artists in residence at the BAT Centre Trust we approached them with the idea and they were extremely keen to get involved." SELF-TAUGHT The first of the artists exhibiting is Stembiso Shongwe, a self-taught Umlazi artist with a growing following of art lovers who admire his unique depictions of township and city life. Stembiso was one of the runners up in the Arts Alive '97 event hosted by the Pavilion last month (see separate story).

ROOF ... RAISED? Actor Alfred Nokwe, who accompanied Welcome Msomi's Umabatha on its recent overseas tour as company manager reports rave reviews at the New York State Theatre. "But those were nowhere near the ecstatic, tumultuous reception and adulation we received at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London," he adds. "There we literally 'brought the roof down'. I mean this in the practical sense!! The stage has a canopy with interesting designs of the zodiac, almost like the Sistine Chapel, that landed on the stage!". A definite case of "raising the roof" in reverse.

SAVOIR FAIRE Durban actress/director and teacher Rosemary Draper offers speech courses, image workshops and customer care training through her Savoir Faire studio. These courses include public speaking and presentation skills; a course covering effective public speaking and personal presentation and a group course in communication skills. Contact her at Box 267, Westville, 3630, or phone 72-2709/fax 709-3950.