Universal Music South Africa, through Universal Music Group’s Task Force for Meaningful Change (TFMC), announced a partnership with South Africa’s National School of the Arts (NSA) that will save the iconic institution from closure due to economic pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

One of South Africa’s storied centers for arts education, NSA is a public school located in the heart of Braamfontein, Johannesburg. It has produced some of South Africa’s finest talent in the visual arts, dance, drama and music.

The landmark partnership will include the newly renamed “Universal Music Department,” which caters to 165 students from Uganda, Zimbabwe, DRC and South Africa, providing hands-on support from the global music company via resources, classes, industry participation and internships.

"For more than 50 years, the NSA has helped to train South Africa’s arts community; it is a jewel that must be saved. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to work with the NSA to ensure that future generations of young artists can continue to train here, and I look forward to building future programs that will provide new opportunities in the years to come,” said Sipho Dlamini, Managing Director Universal Music South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa and UMG TFMC Global Committee lead.

Jeff Harleston, General Counsel and EVP of Business & Legal Affairs, UMG, and Ethiopia Habtemariam, President of Motown Records and EVP of Capitol Music Group, who serve as co-heads of UMG’s TFMC, added, "It’s an honor to work with Sipho to help support South Africa’s next generation of artists, songwriters and musicians. We are incredibly proud to partner with the NSA and work with them to continue to educate and support young artists in South Africa."

Pictured above: (top row) Elouise Kelly, Brenda Sakellarides, Kgomotso Mqhayi, Linda Mabusela; (bottom row) Corin Mathews, Vuyelwa Potha, Gary Natali, Lutho Zwane, Sipho Dlamini