There will be a
spotlight on visual arts and crafts at this year’s annual Witness Hilton Arts
Festival, with extended exhibition space and elevated focus being given to
crafters and art makers allowing for an interesting array of art and craft
items being available, and carefully-curated exhibitions being on the programme
at this year’s festival which takes place on the beautiful grounds of the
Hilton College from September 18 to 21, 2014.
The annual Witness
Hilton Arts Festival is broadly considered to be KZN’s premier arts and culture
festival and one of the top festivals in the country which consistently
produces an unmatched programme of cutting-edge drama, comedy, music and music
revue, as well as an impressive array of arts and crafts appealing to all who
visit the festival each year.
“2014 will see the
development of the visual arts in an exciting and dynamic way,” confirms
festival director, Sue Clarence. “As with all artistic endeavours of this
nature, a great deal hinges on the support of business partnerships. I am
excited to announce that ChemSpec will partner the festival for this exciting
new arts-focus expansion. Their sponsorship arrangement includes provision for
a stand-alone art exhibition directory / catalogue with details of all
participating artists.”
Two enormous
marquees to be situated on the majestic Hilton College lawns overlooking the
Wild Garden (near the Bell Tower) will house a huge selection of art and craft
this year – allowing for an impressive body of work representing many of the
country’s significant art-makers and crafters to be available in a single
central, well-lit, conducive and secure environment. One marquee will be
exclusively for crafters and the other – the ChemSpec Arts Marquee – will be
for visual artists. All work will be for sale.
There will be a
link marquee which will house a cosy bar-area and live music stage where
elegant live music will be performed throughout the weekend. The ChemSpec Art
Exhibition formally opens with a cocktail party on the evening of September 18 and
runs from that evening until late afternoon on September 21.
Embedded into the
main festival using two primary exhibition spaces - the Normand Dunn Gallery
and the Raymond Slater library - will be various exhibitions of major national
importance carefully negotiated with national galleries and major arts
festivals. The intention is that Hilton will be included on the national visual
arts repertory allowing major touring exhibitions to consider a season at the
festival in their national exhibition year plan. Much like the performing arts
community factor in a weekend at Hilton when planning their performance
calendar.
For the arts and
craft focus, the festival will promote a maximum of ten developmental artists;
approximately 40 established visual artists and approximately 160 crafters /
crafting co-ops.
Curators interested
in finding out more about the Normand Dunn and Raymond Slater exhibition spaces
should contact Sue Clarence on clarence@icon.co.za
More festival
information on www.hiltonfestival.co.za, or like the Facebook page ~ Witness Hilton
Arts Festival - or follow the festival on Twitter ~ @HiltonFest. All enquiries
on 033 383 0127 or email: festival@hiltoncollege.com
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