However, the arts are severely under-recognised, under-supported and underfunded. Halls aims to support the industry by partnering with one of SA’s best illustrators and street artists, Karabo Poppy, through the #BreatheForIt campaign, to mentor South African artists.
Through mentorship and curating design works in Braamfontein, the campaign will help young creatives get their fifteen seconds of fame. The success of the campaign, which began in 2021, inspired Halls to take it to the next level. This year, the team is back with Poppy to expand the Halls Breathing Spaces in the popular arts and culture space, Braamfontein.
The Breathing Space Masterclasses will refresh creative minds, with the help of Poppy, content creator Deji Dada and legal expert David Feinburg to provide aspiring artists and creatives with the tools they need to fill the globe with South African originality.
Halls and Poppy will give nine promising artists the biggest canvas to showcase their talent. The selected artists will revitalize a blank space in Braam with their very own mural.
Nadia Mohamed, marketing director at Mondelez International, says, “Mzansi has plenty of talent, but it often goes unnoticed or unappreciated. We will provide the arts and design community with a platform and resources to create, design, and imagine using the power of menthol and mentorship through our Breathe For It campaign.”
Thembi Butelezi, head of equity and marketing strategy at Mondelez International, adds, “We are giving artists a chance to be noticed, and not just in the traditional art gallery sense. They’re going to take over the streets of Jozi, get a chance to make their mark in the art community and show the rest of the world that Africa is the home of creativity.”v
