NAF 2010 FUNDING

NAF 2010 FUNDING

Official Statement: National Arts Festival, Grahamstown 2010 Funding.

The following is an official statement from the National Arts Festival:

Reports have appeared in the media in the last week which make reference to the National Arts Festival in relation to a broader story about the Department of Arts and Culture’s activities in 2010. According to Tony Lankester, CEO of the national Arts Festival, some of these reports have been misconstrued by readers and listeners, and some have created the incorrect impression about this year’s Festival.

In the light of these reports, the National Arts Festival wishes to offer the following by way of clarity:

“The National Arts Festival has a network of funders and sponsors who have supported us over the years, and who have committed to supporting this year’s event,” said Lankester. “With their assistance we are able to proceed with our plans for the 2010 Festival. We will also shortly be announcing a brand new corporate sponsor who has agreed to support the event for the next three years.”

The dates for the Festival are fixed for June 20 to July 4, 2010. “We are in the stages of detailed planning around the staging of what we know will be another “AMAZ!NG” bumper Festival,” said Lankester. “We are on track to open booking for this year’s event during the course of April, and we will announce the highlights of this year’s programme in early March.”

The Festival has applied to the National Department of Arts & Culture (DAC) for a one-off grant that would specifically be used for increasing the number of South African productions at the Festival so that it can make as big an impact as possible during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Additionally, some of the funding that has been requested will get used for:

The creation of and investment in various legacy and heritage projects associated with the Festival and marketing of the Festival to a wider audience so that it can capitalise on tourists travelling to attend the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

“To our mind this additional funding will help the Festival make as great a contribution as possible to the City of Grahamstown and the Eastern Cape Province during the World Cup, and will help attract a greater number of visitors to the Province,” said Lankester. “We eagerly await the outcome of our application to the DAC and are hopeful that we may get clarity soon. Meanwhile we are working hard on planning for this year’s event and look forward once more to welcoming the world to Grahamstown,” he added.