SA: Marcus Desando appointed Prince Claus Fund director

Desando, who has been involved in the arts and culture sector as an artist and arts manager since 1989, holds a masters in technology management and innovation from the Da Vinci Institute. He bids farewell to the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) where he has been CEO since 2017 after taking over from Pieter Jacobs. Before joining ACT, he was CEO at the Gauteng Opera since 2013.

The Prince Claus Fund was founded in 1996 with a mandate to honour, support and connect artists and cultural practitioners in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe, particularly in regions where they are affected by systemic challenges. In 2021, the fund began implementing a new strategy focusing on awards that support individual artists and cultural practitioners at different phases of their professional development.

“It is with great honour, humility and excitement that I will be joining an organisation that has put culture to the fore and has shown the value of investing in uplifting creatives and celebrating their contributions to the world at large,” Desando said.

“As an incoming director of the Prince Claus Fund, I am even more excited by the new strategy to focus on individual artists and cultural practitioners, as it will allow for progressive and meaningful engagements throughout all its programmes. I am looking forward to positively contributing to the continued success of the fund and its future.”

Prince Claus Fund board chair Ila Kasem said: “Marcus is the embodiment of the spirit of the Prince Claus Fund. As an artist, Marcus has a cultural background to understand other artists and the importance of their development.

“As director of a South African development organisation in the field of arts and culture, he understands the role the Prince Claus Fund has to play. Both as an artist and as director, he has shown vision, ambition and the leadership skills required to lead the Prince Claus Fund into the future.”

Desando is a professional singer who has directed, conducted and performed in South Africa with international companies like Really Useful Artists and New York Harlem Productions. He has become a driving force in the development and training of young South African artists and aspiring arts administrators. Desando’s career as a director and principal singer began when joined the Cape Town Opera in 1994. He sang in 75 operas, musical theatre productions and concerts in South Africa and abroad. He travelled around the world singing and directing with New York Harlem Productions, Really Useful Company, Pieter Toerien Productions and the Cape Town Opera.