The 2023 International ARTS Talent Showcase: The Lowdown

Local talent will obtain global exposure at The 13th annual International ARTS Talent Showcase (IATS) which is taking place from the 5th to the 7th of October 2023, at The Venue in Melrose Arch, Johannesburg.

For the past 13 years, The International ARTS Talent Showcase has been synonymous with excellence, transforming dreams into reality and paving the way for future generations in the film, fashion and entertainment industry, and this year they will be adding Europe as a primary location to their global placement portfolio.

Singers, actors, models and dancers, who were handpicked by members of the 33 and Me Talent Agency team, will now finally get their time to shine at this year’s IATS. Participants were selected at the talent search auditions, which were hosted in all 9 provinces during the course of the past year.

More info about the 13th annual International ARTS Talent Showcase (IATS)

This year, organisers are not just raising the bar, but they are rewriting the entire playbook, by redefining what it means to be an international success.

The international talent agent line-up will include industry professionals such as, Blaze Johnson from The Voice America Season 8 and The Audible Breakthrough with Kelly Rowland, Professor Rhavynn Drummer who is the Independent Casting Director for Tyler Perry Studios and also casts for Disney and Nickelodeon.

Furthermore is the inspirational Nate Butler from America’s Got Talent Season 9 and 10 as well as X Factor USA Season 3, Kwame Waters Emmy Award Winning Stylist, Tedy P Grammy nominated Producer, Amy and Rich Hersey from Manikin Worldwide Agency and AMDA College the number one performing ARTS College in America.

AMDA College will award over a million dollars in partial scholarships to successful actors, singers and dancers at this year’s Showcase.

European placements will be presented by EMS Paris. Selected fashion models are then exclusively invited to attend EMS Paris in May 2024 and thereafter they will capitalize from direct meetings with over 65 European Agents for possible career opportunities.

“Adding EMS Paris to our panel will be a driving force between the South African Fashion industry and the European fashion market,” says Elsubie Louwrens, CEO and Chairperson of 33 and Me Talent Agency and Producer of the IATS.

Pako Katjene, an International ARTS Talent Showcase Alumni, already secured a European placement and successfully walked the runway of Milan Fashion Week in September. In addition, Alumni Sipesihle Ngalonkulu, just graced the stage at New York Fashion Week.

The International ARTS Talent Showcase serves as a reputable platform for transforming the aspirations of South African talent into tangible achievements on both local and global stages. Elsubie and her team continuously endeavor to connect Africa to the world and this year they are opening more global placement platforms.

The International ARTS Talent Showcase is the country’s leading career development platform for international exposure and placement. The list of local and international success stories are endless. Locally alone, the talent identified over the past 13 years have booked over 2500 TV Commercials, films, series and soapies.

Connecting South African Talent to America for the past 13 years has generated major international success for our local performers, and adding Europe to the mix will broaden the horizon to new markets and opportunities for global placement.

Watch this space for updates in the Music News category on Running Wolf’s Rant.