AFROVIBES 2010 APPLICATIONS DUE

ACT invites applications for Afrovibes 2010

The open call for proposals for the Afrovibes Festival 2010 will be managed and administered by the Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) in South Africa.

Afrovibes was founded in 1999 and was initiated by the late Raymond Matinyana. The festival takes place bi-annually in Europe and showcases South Africa's contemporary artistic output.

"The Afrovibes Festival 2010 will be held in four countries: The Netherlands, Belgium, the United Kingdom and South Africa. Festival cities will be Eindhoven and Amsterdam, Brussels, London, Birmingham and/or Manchester, and Johannesburg," explains Azim Koning, Chairperson of the Afrovibes Foundation in the Netherlands. "The Festival presents works of high artistic quality and international standing. Several arts disciplines are brought together in a main programme which presents productions in the performing arts, accompanied by an extended fringe programme of public debates, meet and greet sessions with the artists and master classes and workshops," he adds.

Productions in the following disciplines will be considered: Contemporary Dance, Dance Theatre, Drama, Comedy, Music Theatre and Spoken Word. Applicants must ensure that their proposed production is available during September and October 2010. Productions older than two years will not be considered. Participants will be selected by the Afrovibes Selection committee, comprising theatre programmers and directors representing the Afrovibes 2010 participating European cities, a representative of UK Arts in London, Afrovibes Foundation Board members in the Netherlands and the Afrovibes' South African Artistic Director, Gregory Vuyani Maqoma.

The closing date for applications is June 15, 2009.

For more information, to submit an application online or to download guidelines for submitting an application manually go to www.act.org.za/programmes_festival_afro.htm

South African theatre makers, individuals and organisations interested in collaborating with European colleagues in the participating countries during or after the Afrovibes Festival 2010 are also invited to apply. Collaboration proposals should be sent via e-mail to projects@act.org.za with AFROVIBES COLLABORATION in the subject line and must also include contact details of the European partner organisation or individual, a letter of undertaking from the European partner and a clear motivation for the proposed collaboration.

ACT is South Africa's premier, independent arts and culture funding and development agency. Internationally acclaimed South African playwright, Athol Fugard, is the Patron of the Trust. For more information go to www.act.org.za