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About the Awards

Designed to bring South Africa's business and creative communities together, the Annual Business Day BASA Awards are presented in partnership with Anglo American and Business Day. The awards were inaugurated in 1997 as a way of recognising businesses and the projects they support and now count amongst South Africa’s most prestigious arts and culture awards.

The winners of South Africa’s most prestigious business-arts awards were announced on 31 August 2009 at an event held at the forum | turbine hall in Newtown, hosted by performer, Nkoto Malebye. Speakers on the night were celebrated poet, performer, writer and speaker, Gcina Mhlope and the Minister of Arts and Culture, Minister Lulu Xingwana.

The 12th Annual Business Day BASA Awards, supported by Anglo American winners are:

Best Use of a commission of New Art
Industrial Development Corporation for ‘Mobile Exhibition’

First Time Sponsor
Rainbow Chicken Ltd for the ‘Catelina Theatre’

Increasing Access to the Arts
First National Bank for the ‘Joburg Art Fair’
Exclusive Books for ‘Ndodeni Library’

International Sponsorship
Standard Bank for Marlene Dumas’ ‘Intimate Relations’

Long Term Development
Deutsche Bank Africa Foundation for ‘Little Artists’

Media Sponsorship
The Times for their ‘Art Page’

Single Project
MTN for the ‘South African Music Awards’

Sponsorship by a Small Business
Symfony Digital Solutions for ‘Chew Magazine’

Sponsorship in Kind
HCI Foundation for their support of the ‘Baxter Theatre Centre’

Strategic Sponsorship
Sandton Business Improvement District for ‘Sandton Central Arts Programme’

Youth Sponsorship
ABSA for ‘Addicted to Life’

Barloworld Artworks Mentor of the Year
Gary Ninow for Umcebo Trust
Yvette Nowell for Valued Citizen’s Initiative

Chairman’s Premier Award
Field Band Foundation