Performing Arts: A case study on curriculum transformation

Over the past few years, the Tshwane University of Technology’s (TUT) Department of Performing Arts (Dance and Musical Theatre, Music and Vocal Art) has reinforced the importance of curriculum transformation in the changing South African landscape. This is due to the visible disequilibrium and insufficiency of the skills required by the industry in the previous curriculum. Therefore, The TUT Performing Arts Programme had to establish a new curriculum (artistic creativity, problem-solving, and business skills for performing arts) to accommodate the industry demand and to ensure that performers are relevant to the contemporary Performing Arts industry. This paper seeks to explore how students and lecturers experience the changes within the new curriculum at TUT as well as their perception of the significance of the transformed curriculum. A qualitative research methodology was used in this study, whereby methods such as interviews were conducted with Performing Arts students and graduates, lecturers, and employers in the industry. The research sought to establish how curriculum transformation is supported by the changed curriculum. The findings of this study demonstrate that the new curriculum will empower performers with balanced skill sets that enable them to become more marketable. The study also found that the new curriculum would provide sufficient entrepreneurial skills for performers to establish their businesses confidently. The paper concludes that TUT’s new curriculum will accommodate the demands of a fluctuating 21st-century arts industry.