MIDDELBURG — What started as an audition at the Middelburg Youth Art Development Centre (MIYADEC) in 2012 has grown into a thriving arts platform that is creating opportunities, paying local artists and showcasing talent across poetry, music, film, theatre, fashion and visual arts.
Given Boleu, better known by his stage name Blacq Child, is the founder and director of 1050-State, a multidisciplinary arts organisation based in Middelburg that focuses on unearthing youth talent and celebrating black excellence.
Boleu's journey began when he attended an audition at MIYADEC as an aspiring performer.
The name Blacq Child was inspired by a poem titled Black Child, which he wrote and performed to motivate African youth to compete and excel.
“The audience never forgot the poem. Since those auditions, everybody started calling me Blacq Child,” he said.
He later changed the spelling intentionally.
“Blacq with a Q was a positioning strategy to make my stage name unique and stand out,” he said.
Twelve years later, Boleu has transitioned from performer to arts director.
In 2022, he founded 1050-State with a vision of creating opportunities for young creatives while establishing a permanent platform for the arts in Middelburg and surrounding areas.
The organisation focuses on poetry, music, fashion, visual art, film and theatre.
“We also want to establish a permanent platform for the arts in Middelburg and surrounding areas,” said Boleu.
For him, that vision includes creating a dedicated space where young people from townships and surrounding communities can showcase their work, build creative brands and earn an income.
“We’re looking to build an art centre with a music studio, film studio and theatre, and run festivals almost every month to keep paying artists for their creativity,” he said.
After registering the organisation, 1050-State secured funding from the National Arts Council for the Black Excellence One-Day Poetry Festival in Suits in 2022.
A year later, the organisation received further support for the 1050 Strictly Art Fest, which featured poetry and music performances, fashion showcases, visual art exhibitions and theatre productions.
“That allowed us to pay about 20 artists,” said Boleu. “We were the first organisation to pay local artists. This continued in every project that we had.”
The funding also helped establish the organisation's foundation.
“It helped build my backroom office, buy our first equipment and keep 1050-State running before we received further support with newer gear. It also gave hope to artists around Middelburg that you can live through the arts, even in a town surrounded by mines and industrial zones,” he said.
In 2024, 1050-State received funding to produce the documentary Shattered Dreams, which went on to win Best Documentary at the Mpumalanga International Film Festival.
The documentary explores the lives of talented individuals who abandoned the arts due to economic pressures, limited opportunities and a lack of support.
“We conducted the documentary through interviews, finding those individuals and giving them an opportunity to express themselves, while also getting expertise from the generation that came before us on what we needed to do to change the whole Shattered Dreams situation,” said Boleu.
“It was touching, inspiring and exposing. That’s why it won. Winning meant a lot to us. It motivated us to keep going, gave us hope that anything is possible and changed how we see the arts in Mpumalanga.”
Additional support came through equipment provided by the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDA).
The equipment is now being used to produce Mtoni Chronicles, an unscripted series currently in production that focuses on the lives and experiences of local artists in Middelburg.
“It tells real stories of artists in and around Middelburg. It wouldn’t make sense to shoot it anywhere else because it speaks directly to the challenges in our community,” he said.
Despite the progress, Boleu believes the performing arts sector in Middelburg remains underfunded.
“That includes poetry, music, visual art, fashion, theatre and film. Other regions are ahead because municipalities and organisations prioritise the arts,” he said.
He believes the lack of funding continues to drive talented young creatives to larger cities.
“Many young creatives leave Middelburg for Johannesburg because of the lack of opportunities. I was tempted many times too,” he said.
However, he chose to remain in Middelburg and invest in building opportunities locally.
“I realised that there is a gap here and opportunities exist here. If people from Johannesburg are coming to Mpumalanga to participate, then it shows we can build something here ourselves,” he said.
Looking ahead, Boleu hopes to grow 1050-State into a nationally recognised arts organisation within the next three years.
“I want us to be a leading arts and entertainment organisation in the coming three years, not just in Middelburg or Nkangala District, but competing nationally,” he said.
He said success would be measured by producing award-winning work, hosting major festivals and helping young creatives build sustainable careers.
“For me, success will be producing talent and making sure young creatives can live off their given talents, and that they themselves go on to find and nurture the next hidden talent. Passing the baton, that will be an immense success for 1050-State,” he said.
