NAF & NELSON MANDELA BAY

The development of a sustainable Creative Arts industry in Nelson Mandela Bay received a nudge in the right direction. A mutually beneficial partnership was formed between key role players in the local Arts industry, the Directorate of the National Arts Festival and Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism.

Five Arts venues in Mandela Bay have been identified as a pilot project, where they will have eight Fine Art Exhibitions in total. This will form part of the National Arts Festival 2011 Programme. In turn, all venues will promote and support the marketing of the Arts Journey and the National Arts Festival. Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism was particularly pleased to be associated with such an initiative, which will enhance the experience of cultural tourists to Nelson Mandela Bay.

The Arts Journey was created as an umbrella body of Arts Institutions which, in 2011, consists of:

- Route 67 (the 67 public art works surrounding the Donkin Reserve – a number of Art Interventions are complete and the balance will be complete by September 2011

- Athenaeum Building and Council (Renovations to the building will be complete by end May and will focus on an exhibition of 200 art works by 200 Eastern Cape Artists and Book Launch with the same title. The Eastern Cape Potters Association will showcase their work and have workshops and a potters outreach programme.

- ART EC (previously EPSAC) will host a curated exhibition titled Finding Kaggen – a selected exhibition of work exploring the “Tokkelosie”

- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum - The Friends of the Art Museum will host an inaugural exhibition titled Skin. The selected, curated exhibition is open to all artists resident in Mandela Bay who are requested to respond to the theme Skin.

- Ron Belling Art Gallery will host an exhibition NMMU Contemporary – Staff and Alumni and students of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University School of Art will showcase their cutting edge creativity.

The Arts Journey will become a hive of creative talent as additional arts institutions and collectives from all the creative arts join.

For more information, click on the National Arts Festival banner advert at the top of this page which will take you to the NAF’s website.