Jane Mpholo is a multidisciplinary artist, award-winning theatremaker, and public servant from Botshabelo, South Africa.
She obtained a BA Drama and Theatre Arts degree from the University of the Free State and has been active on local, national and international platforms – collaborating with practitioners from the Netherlands, USA and Australia to name a few.
Her highlights as a multilingual writer include: being selected as one of the top 5 playwrights nationally for the NATi Rising Stars Project for upcoming playwrights for her contemporary poetic script The Dawn, which debuted at the 2022 Suidoosterfees and was performed at the Pan-African Creative Exchange 2023; being one of the 15 writers chosen to write a monologue – a satire called Ha wa lebona – for LitNet’s Voices, a kykNET Fiësta Award winning project; making it to the top 20 playwrights list for the African Women Playwrights Festival of Plays for her unconventional script The Naked Truth (which she later produced as a short film); and having her poignant script Fragmented chosen to be part of the KKNK Teksmark 2022 and Vrystaat Arts Festival 2023. She’s also a self-published author of a 4-star rated inspiring book called Exclusives. Jane is a contributor to the Paulet House Stories, an initiative by the Jakes Gerwel Foundation. Two of her poems have also been featured in the Writing Woman Anthology: An Anthology of African and Asian Writers and Artists, Vol. 3.
Her autobiographical and most successful work to date – Psalm 69, a theatre production – has proved to be timeless, touring locally as well as being showcased at the The Global Leadership Summit 2018.
An avid producer of creative digital works, a double bill of her short films, Sehlabelo and Cleanse, were part of the 2021 Vrystaat Arts Festival. The latter, which explores the life of a woman under oppression as a domestic worker, aired on DStv as part of the 2022 Woordfees TV and has won multiple international awards.
Jane practices as a professional actor, with over 40 theatrical shows under her belt, and regards starring as a male prisoner in Athol Fugard’s The Island – reimagined and directed by the renowned Dr Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha – as one of her acting career highlights.
Jane is a multitalented artist, actor, producer, writer, playwright, dramaturge, facilitator, arts coach, mentor and motivational speaker. She is passionate about community development, inclusive education and creating a safe space for audiences to engage in discussions pertaining to relevant social ills. She is a true advocate for equality and inclusivity.
Amongst the many awards and recognitions, she is a three times kykNET Fiësta nominated artist (a Sotho/English creative recognised by the Afrikaans industry), a finalist for the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans 2023, News24 Young Mandelas of the Future 2023, Inside Education Shining Star 2022,Sunday World Unsung Hero 2022 and Mail & Guardian Women Changing South Africa 2019 – honoured for her contribution to the arts.
She is the former audience development specialist at the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State and was recently selected for the international residency Tankwa Artscape. Her current active roles include being a panel member of the National Arts Council of South Africa and a senior judge for the World Monologue Games and World Monologue Film Festival. She is based in Bloemfontein, where she continues to create pioneering works.
Contact Jane
Email: janempholo@gmail.com
Facebook: Jane Mamotse Mpholo
Instagram: @janempholo
LinkedIn: jane mpholo
