2009 CULTIVARIA CALLS FOR SUBMISSIONS

Applications invited to stage work at festival in Paarl in September.

Organisers of the 2009 Cultivaria arts festival are calling for applications by South African artists, who would like to stage their productions during this year's festival. The fest with finesse will once again take place in the beautiful Boland town of Paarl from September 24 to 27.

Since the inaugural festival in 2006, Cultivaria has become the fastest growing event of its kind in South Africa and boasts average occupancy figures of 81,5%, which makes it the highest average occupancy of all local festivals. The multi-lingual festival continues to gain popularity due to the incomparable diversity of its offerings.

The exciting festival calendar incorporates all genres of the performing arts ranging from music to dance, theatre and comedy as well as various visual art disciplines. Musical productions offer a kaleidoscope of styles, including musical extravaganzas, popular Afrikaans and English music, rock, ballades, classical music and cabaret.

According to festival director Gerhard Meyer, they are hoping to present a festival line-up that is as inclusive and varied as possible. "We want Cultivaria 2009 to appeal to a broad audience of supporters of the performing arts. We are therefore calling on all artists to submit applications to become a part of this amazing cultural experience. Last year we hosted more than 100 different productions of the highest calibre showcasing the amazing depth of talent in South Africa and we would like to continue with this tradition."

Some of the country's top performers have become regular faces at Cultivaria as the organisers are committed to giving participating artists a unique festival experience. Cultivaria offers accommodation, a chauffeur-driven transfer service, suitable venues with top quality sound and lighting as well as an above average percentage of door sales. "The success of the festival depends on the performers we can attract. As organisers, we firmly believe that performers need to be treated with the utmost professionalism and be well compensated for their work," explains Meyer.

Application forms can be downloaded from the festival website on www.cultivaria.com Entries close on March 4, 2009.

Entries can be faxed to 021 872 1551 or submitted via e-mail to admin@cultivaria.com

All applications will be subjected to a screening process by a panel of festival representatives.