Bularah Chopo, widely known as Chopo B, is a visionary theatre practitioner, creative mentor, and founder of Bapala Creative Arts & Services — the leading township theatre hub in the Eastern Free State. Operating from the Riverside Youth Centre in Phuthaditjhaba, Bularah has built a space where young people access drama, dance, music, and visual arts, all while addressing real social challenges through artistic expression.
Since founding Bapala in 2017, Bularah has produced and directed powerful theatrical productions like Lentsoe, Madala, Molao Theo, and The World River Story, which have toured across national platforms including the National Arts Festival, Jika International Festival, and PACOFs. His production The World River Story, developed in collaboration with the University of the Free State and United Nations University (Tokyo), bridges storytelling with global conversations on sustainability and migration.
Beyond the stage, Bularah leads Saturday creative workshops, an annual creative summer camp, and school-based arts education, making arts accessible to over 30 young people weekly. He also curates major cultural events such as the Dipontsho Cultural Festival and the Qwaqwa Children’s Heritage Day, often securing private sponsorships and institutional partnerships.
As a graduate and Top 25 National Finalist of Business and Arts South Africa’s Artpreneur Program, and Free State Provincial Liaison Officer for BASA’s Debut Programme, Bularah is reshaping township arts into tools of empowerment, healing, and economic opportunity.
