On a crisp Monday morning, August 4th, 2025, the sleek halls of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton welcomed an unusual crowd—creatives. Singers, visual artists, poets, and performers traded in their brushes and microphones for pens, notebooks, and financial wisdom. The occasion? A ground breaking Financial Wellness Workshop curated specifically for South Africa’s creative industry. Hosted by the dynamic Refilwe Nkomo of Art Route, the event marked a vital moment in shifting the narrative around creatives and their relationship with money.
For too long, artists have been perceived as financially disorganized or disconnected from the structures that support long-term sustainability. But as the doors opened at 08h30, it was clear this gathering was designed to challenge that myth and arm creatives with the knowledge they deserve. Imbizo Magazine was proudly present to witness and engage in this vital conversation, one that transcended numbers and touched on empowerment, ownership, and future legacy.
The morning kicked off with the poised and powerful Lungile Luvuno, a chartered accountant and CFA Charter holder who brought 13 years of experience in financial services into a space often neglected by formal finance. With warmth and clarity, she unpacked the foundations of personal financial management, walking the room through the importance of planning for the short, medium, and long term. Lungile didn’t just speak about budgeting in abstract terms, she painted vivid, real-life scenarios around debt management, funeral cover, insurance, health care, emergency funds, and even drafting a will. Her emphasis on financial freedom and wealth creation resonated deeply, especially when she reminded the audience that financial security starts with awareness, like checking credit interest rates and building a safety net before chasing dreams.
As the room absorbed her knowledge, the energy shifted from curiosity to urgency. Artists scribbled notes, nodded along, and for the first time, some began to see their creative journeys not just as passion pursuits, but as businesses that need structure, planning, and protection.
Just when the audience thought they’d heard it all, the second speaker, Mxolisi Thapelo Sehoole, took the stage with the calm confidence of someone who has walked beside many artists and understood their unique financial needs. The founder of Sehoole & Associates, Mxolisi turned the conversation to the hard truths and beautiful possibilities of financial fundamentals. He spoke to artists in a language they could understand, demystifying budgeting, forecasting, and savings in a way that felt like a masterclass crafted just for them.
Mxolisi introduced the now-popular 50/30/20 budgeting rule and used it as a gateway to discuss how creatives could balance income with expenses while still preparing for unexpected costs. But the real turning point of his session was when he unpacked the role of SARS in an artist’s life. Suddenly, tax wasn’t a terrifying mystery but a necessary partner. He explained the different types of taxes applicable to both individuals and businesses, encouraging creatives to move away from fear and toward proactive engagement with compliance. The room buzzed with questions, reflections, and a shared understanding that avoiding tax talk had only created more barriers to success.
Wrapping up the day was Lebohang Tshehlana, Operations Manager at Sehoole & Associates, who tackled the often-ignored subject of business compliance. With focus and precision, he took the room through what it means to be registered, to file CIPC annual returns, and to fulfil the new requirement of beneficial ownership filing. What struck many attendees was how these procedures, often seen as bureaucratic burdens, are actually essential tools to unlocking opportunities from funding and partnerships to national recognition as a serious creative entrepreneur.
Throughout the day, Refilwe Nkomo steered the programme with elegance and purpose, ensuring each speaker connected with the audience not only as professionals, but as collaborators in the journey to financial empowerment. Her presence anchored the event, reminding everyone that this was not about lecturing creatives, it was about equipping them.
To close the session with a sense of pride and affirmation, Refilwe presented every attendee with a Certificate of Attendance, honouring not just their presence, but their willingness to show up, learn, and commit to financial wellness. It was a gesture that many appreciated — a symbolic reminder that knowledge is a form of power, and taking the first step toward financial literacy is something worth celebrating.
As the day concluded, creatives left the JSE not only more informed but transformed. Conversations about money had shifted from avoidance to action, from confusion to clarity. There was laughter, “aha” moments, and even quiet nods of realization. It was evident: something meaningful had happened. The walls between art and finance had begun to crumble, replaced by bridges built with knowledge, confidence, and a new sense of responsibility.
Imbizo Magazine applauds the vision behind this workshop and the collaboration it represents between the financial sector and the creative community. The event reminded us that to sustain the rhythm of our art, we must master the rhythm of our rands.
Let this be the beginning of more. More workshops. More partnerships. More artists who know their worth and how to protect it.
Am Mr GAEREKE the founder of Bachana Training Project A GOROGILE MASOKOLARA – we do arst drowning, traditional dances poetry
It was I powering.