Caversham community collaborative programmes began with Caversham Press in 1988 when groups of emergent artists attended printmaking workshops run by Malcolm Christian . During the following years this grew in scale and breadth including annual bookbinding programmes, under the auspice of Caversham Education Trust . All these programmes took place at Caversham Centre.

In 2002, with the enthusiasm and commitment of Gabisile Nkosi , the first Caversham CreACTive™ Centre was founded at Jabula Combined School , in the neighbouring community of Lidgetton. The children, whom it serves, have named it Ulwazi (Knowledge) CreACTive Centre. This innovative initiative has provided the laboratory for the development of a model which Caversham has successfully replicated in other communities. These have become living evidence of the “Masabelaneni” (Let us Share) Vision and demonstrate their effectiveness in meeting challenges for the youth arising from disadvantage and the HIV/Aids pandemic.

As a result of the ongoing Legacy Leadership and Vision-sharing residencies, the number of new Creative Centres coming into being in both rural and urban areas will grow. These include Rorke’s Drift, Mtubatuba, Kwambonambi, Jozini, Umlazi, Kwadabeka, Durban , Pietermaritzburg, East London and with Caversham partner art@school in District Six. We will keep you informed of their progress…