by Gerrit Bester Nina Newman, a lecturer in the Department of Fine and Studio Arts' Jewellery Programme at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), made history when she became the first recipient of a Doctor of Art & Design (Jewellery Design & Manufacture) degree conferred by TUT at the Faculty of Arts and Design graduation ceremony on the Pretoria Campus on 13 October. This achievement marks a significant milestone for both her and the field. TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR

by Gerrit Bester At the TUT Artivism Conference 2026: Reimagining Futures, photographer Vishern Debiky invites audiences to reconsider what they think they know about homelessness, dignity and belonging in South Africa's urban spaces. Through his exhibition, The Promised Land: Egoli: The City of Gold, Debiky turns his lens towards Johannesburg's inner city. Yet his intention is not to document poverty. Instead, he seeks to reveal the humanity often concealed behind the label

by Gerrit Bester The 2026 Artivism Conference, Reimagining Futures, brought together artists, activists and scholars from across the globe to explore how creative practice can confront injustice and imagine new possibilities. Among the emerging voices contributing to these conversations was Maanbu Thalapathi (27), a doctoral candidate in the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Faculty of Arts and Design, whose journey from Chennai, India, to Pretoria reflects not only the