Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Awards Draft press release Local artist wins top award Kabelo Kim Modise is one of the winners of the 2005 Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Award for 2005. He is one of only 11 artists from around the Commonwealth chosen to receive this prestigious award. The award is given every two years to young artists and craftspeople that have shown exceptional promise in their own country but have had little opportunity to work abroad. They are given a sum of money to travel to another Commonwealth country, work alongside that country’s artists, and mount an exhibition of their work at the end of their visit. Kabelo will visit the Caribbean (Trinidad and Tobago) later in December 2005/January2006. Artists are chosen on the basis of their artwork, which must be strong, original and have its own voice, but also on their personal qualities. Judges select people who will make the most of the opportunity the award offers, who have a desire to extend their horizons and learn from and share with others, and who are resourceful and self-reliant enough to organise and manage their award. In the words of one of the judges, Robert Loder CBE, Chair of the Triangle Arts Trust, “The Commonwealth Arts and Crafts Awards is an important initiative not just for the individual artist but for the wider community of artists around the commonwealth. The Awards give many artists opportunities, not otherwise available, to expand their horizons and share their skills with other artists from the Commonwealth. The exchange of practice and ideas between artists of different cultural backgrounds creates a stimulus and interest in art-making amongst a wide audience in countries to which the award winners travel and work.” Winners of the award come through a rigorous selection process, being chosen from over 170 entries by artists and arts administrators representing a wide variety of cultures. The Awards are organised by the Commonwealth Foundation. The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation of the Commonwealth, which receives its core funding from the governments of Commonwealth countries. The mission of the Commonwealth Foundation is to work to enhance the role of civil society organisations in governance, democracy, sustainable development and culture by strengthening their institutional and human capacity, and by creating opportunity and space for their partnership, participation, advice and leadership, thereby achieving lasting improvements in the condition of Commonwealth peoples.  AWARDS KABELO EZEKIEL MODISE VISUAL ARTIST/OIL PAINTER VISUAL ARTIST/OIL PAINTER