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Chistlehurst Academics and Arts, all came to be, from a simple vision...

A dream....

With ideas, motivation and passion, Mrs Kelly Ann de Villiers went on to achieve her life-long dream…to educate. To dance. To promote the arts.

Realizing that in recent years as the arts have been struggling to survive, there are fewer and fewer educational institutions that cater for the talented youth of South Africa, as a place where they can realize their full potential and talents.

Gauteng and the Western Cape have access to the opportunity of studying the arts at specialised schools such as Pro Arte, Benoni Art School and the Lady Grey Arts Academy. KwaZulu-Natal, however, does not have anything like this.

So she gathered together a group of people and teachers, also passionate about education and the arts and they, together, gathered their resources and skills and so became Chistlehurst Performing Art School.

Because rarely are opportunities to train and study the arts limited by lack of interest or talent, but rather by lack of facilities or funds, we have started our school, simply with what we had. In a few short months, we opened our doors, with 13 learners and a lot of blood, sweat and tears.

Due to specific facilities needed, we took up a building that was perfect for the school. But because it had been vacant for so long, it had been extensively vandalised. Leaving us with the perfect building, minus doors, windows, toilets, plumbing or electricity.

We started on the building in December 2004 and with very little ’outside’ assistance, we began the gruelling task of scrubbing, painting, washing, sweeping, gardening…

We are still a work in progress, but one that is filled with love and dedication. Our school buildings may take some time to reach the high standard goals we have set for ourselves, but the education and excitement we already have within our classrooms, more than makes up for the fact that the door handles may not match yet, or that we have not yet acquired benches in the school grounds!

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