Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu

- ancient African proverb

I’m human because of other humans

kliptown location.png

photo_Nkwanyana, 2019

vision

Empowering our neighbourhood through creativity, innovation, collaboration and economic sustainability.


Thabang Nkwanyana, Robert Shai, Kristen Kornienko

Co-founders

1955 creative collaboration

1955 is the brainchild of a group of longtime friends and colleagues who continually learn from each other in grappling with our passion for art, social equity, racial empowerment and spatial justice.

We set out to start a community radio station.

Along the way we are making films, shooting stills, upcycling plastic waste, flying our drone, painting murals, healing. And now we’re building a skatepark!

The station will exist within a creative community hub that reflects Kliptown’s diverse cultural history. It will be a physical space where everyone is welcome to come and just hang out in a safe place. A place to strategise ways to support their everyday lives, to dream their own and the community’s future. A place to just to have a good conversation.

We are working to address the dire social and housing issues that face Kliptown’s residents. We are reducing the environmental impact that Kliptown has on the Klipspruit River and its riparian ecosystem through waste cleanup.

Our efforts, initiatives and projects are large and small, but they always strive to be creative and innovative. We understand that 1955 must be economically viable to be sustainable over the long-term. We have chosen a social enterprise model, this sets our mission at its core and income generation as the critical necessity.

1955 creative collaboration* is a registered non profit company. It is not a charity or an NGO. 1955 is a reference to the essence and meaning of South Africa’s Freedom Charter and reflects our belief that it’s basic tenets are the avenue to empowering communities. We each bring our unique knowledge sets and strive to level our worktable.


*CIPC South Africa: 2019 / 632232 / 08