Arts, Culture and Heritage

The MBDA integrates public art and heritage projects into city development. Highlights have included Route 67, sculptures such as Zola Nqini in Uitenhage, and initiatives to preserve stories like the S.S. Mendi and South End’s lost heritage. The agency promotes culture‑led development, supporting creative industries such as film, music, fashion, and design.

Culture plays a crucial element as part of the holistic approach to development. Any development that allows people to express and embrace who they are is defined as a culture-led development and forms an integral part of cultural planning. Cultural planning allows for a much deeper way of looking at spatial development and transformation. As an institution we understand the value in investing in local film makers, musicians, producers, composers, designers, fashion designers, writers and a lot more. This is not possible to do in isolation.

We continue forming partners with institutions and civil society in positioning our city and the Culture Capital of the Province.