Janet Buckland on talent development
Internationally acclaimed artistic director and all round ‘art’s lady’, Janet Buckland, has an exceptionally good eye for talent. Apart from collecting numerous accolades on a global scale, her drama company, Ubom!, stays dedicated to developing talent here at home.
“We are dedicated to developing audiences, nurturing professionals and developing community groups” she says.
Development projects in the community
Having worked with many out of school youngsters, Janet says “we run workshops in the community working with a lot of youth from disadvantaged backgrounds”. Ubom! also works with St Mary Centre for the Abused and youth from juvenile prisons. In other words, Ubom! searches far and wide to find some of the community’s skilled teenagers to give an opportunity to communities destitute with artistic flair.
“Our deepest commitment is to perform for the underprivileged, by bringing the arts to them”, she explaines. “Not only do we bring it to them but we also make them a part of it by training and developing them.” Buckland continues to add that: “bringing people from different backgrounds adds such a beautiful diversity to our productions.”
Success of Ubom! professionals
“One of our highlights were these eight kids from Eluxolweni who in 2006 were invited to perform in Manchester. We have numerous Ubom! professionals all over the world. Some in Las Vegas, others in London. Just all over…”
As opposed to strictly dealing with professionals with an academic backdrop, Buckland and the rest of the Ubom! family chose to nurture and develop their very own brand of professionals.
Pic: Tebogo Tladi
