In collaboration with Stellenbosch University, the Stellenbosch Triennale, which is supported by the Outset Contemporary Art Fund is excited to introduce the Arts-Based Inquiry Initiative. The 10-week programme aims to explore the transformative role of the arts in education and learning for some of Stellenbosch’s under-served schools. The initiative, set to run during the Triennale (19 February – 30 April 2025), represents a significant step in addressing educational challenges through creative methodologies, while also aiming to engage education policymakers.
The Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust (SOST), a founding platform for art education, has long understood the power of the arts to break down barriers and transform young lives. Building on over a decade of experience, SOST has collaborated with Stellenbosch University to deliver this research-driven initiative that incorporates visual arts, music, dance, and drama to support learners from under-resourced communities.
A Legacy of Arts Education for Impact
“The Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust has been an important platform for art education since its inception in 2012. The KickstART programme provided an opportunity for over 50 high school learners from vulnerable communities to take art as a school subject and go on to tertiary studies. We saw these young people succeed because we gave extra support like transport, healthy meals, mentors, tutors, art supplies, and career guidance. Eliminating the very real barriers that young people from poorer communities face was a game changer,” explains Andi Norton, Trustee of the Stellenbosch Outdoor Sculpture Trust.
“All these learnings are collected and collated. We study them to see how we can constantly use art education as a tool for lasting impact and change. We have seen first-hand how exposure to art changes how young people think, allowing them to explore ideas they have never thought about and giving them confidence and hope,” says Norton.
Highlighting the foundation of the initiative, Paseka Blessing Chisale, Lecturer in Life Skills at Stellenbosch University, explains, “The initiative was developed to pilot an arts-based approach that addresses factors influencing learners’ educational outcomes by integrating
principles from both Art Education and Art Therapy. The programme seeks to create a space where arts-based inquiries not only enhance academic performance but also foster creative expression and healing. This healing is framed as the restoration of a learner’s imaginative capacity, an essential component for personal growth and development.”
The Stellenbosch Triennale: A Platform for Creativity and Connection
The Arts-Based Inquiry Initiative addresses trauma and systemic challenges that impact South African learners, including psychological, social, and cognitive barriers. Norton says, “The programme we are piloting for this year’s Stellenbosch Triennale is taking the education work we have done to the next level. We are working with two extraordinary programme managers, and we are excited to see the research that will come from the work they are doing”. By integrating arts education with reflective methodologies, the programme seeks to offer learners tools to heal, learn, and thrive. The inclusion of two pilot schools — Kayamandi Secondary School and Stellenzicht Secondary School — was a deliberate decision to maximise the programme’s impact.
“Integrating the arts into the core curriculum should go beyond viewing them as mere outlets or free periods. When approached intentionally, the arts can reveal surprising connections between disciplines, enriching both teaching and learning experiences,” explains Chisale. The Stellenbosch Triennale, a cornerstone of African contemporary art, provides the ideal setting for such a forward-thinking initiative. With its theme, Bazinzile – A Rehearsal for Breathing, the Triennale explores play, creativity, and the nervous system — a concept that deeply resonates with the goals of the Arts-Based Inquiry Initiative.
A Space for Healing and Exploration
“The theme is going to run through the programme and could not be a more perfect fit for the work we are doing. Some of the most effective ways to address trauma in young people is through breathing, as well as allowing them to let go of what is ‘perfect’ or ‘correct’. The idea of the programme being a safe, ‘rehearsal’ space for them to explore their creativity, emotions, hopes, and dreams is a powerful one,” says Norton. The 2025 Stellenbosch Triennale will feature an impressive line-up of multidisciplinary artists from the African continent and beyond.
A not-for-profit Triennale that is free to the public, this year’s exhibit is an exploration of art, community, and improvisation. “The arts offer a unique environment where mistakes are not stigmatised but rather embraced as part of the learning process, cultivating problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity — skills essential for the 21st century,” says Chisale. The Arts-Based Inquiry Initiative aims to not only support learners but also engage policymakers on the transformative role of arts education in the curriculum.
Norton emphasises that, “For many years, there was a focus on maths and science, or the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects, to the detriment of the arts and humanities in schools, particularly those with less resources. Research found that this did not benefit the education system, and Art was brought back into focus, creating the new acronym STEAM. Exposure to the arts allows the brain to see patterns and creates new neural pathways.”
“We hope that they will leave after 10 weeks with valuable tools to support them in everyday life, some of which will be powerful breathing techniques to settle them in times of heightened stress and anxiety,” says Norton.
The Stellenbosch Triennale takes place from 19 February – 30 April 2025 at Oude Libertas, the Woodmill, Rupert Museum and Stellenbosch University Museum. Entry is free to the public.
For more information:
Visit www.stellenboschtriennale.com