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Monday, August 31, 2015

FREEDOM OF THE MIND



(Members of the UKZN-based band, Salt and Light, accomplished skateboarders, biker riders and visual artists who will be participating: Siya Mkhize; Schogn Lee; Celumusa Dladla and Darren Oatley)

The city’s Parks, Recreation & Culture Unit will host a celebration on September 5 to honour Heritage month with Freedom of the Mind – a day long free family event. The aim is to showcase the breadth of creative talent the city is nurturing in honour of Heritage month.

All of the city’s PRC units will showcase their projects and the programme includes a battle of the DJs; a drumming session; open mics to feature hip hop; jazz; sketch comedy; vernacular comedy; traditional dance; gospel and contemporary dance.

The work and projects of the Durban Art Gallery and Libraries department will also be showcased.

Other events will take place on the same day from South Beach to North Beach – it will be a feast of PRC unit activities. Other PRC departments such as Sports and Recreation will have activities including volleyball, aerobics and children’s activities with jumping castles, storytelling and many more activities provided by the unit at large.

The intention of the cultural day is to showcase the artists which the Arts and Living Culture Dept have been mentoring with the intention of exposing them to external stakeholders, the public and potential employers, and for the performers and artists to gain experience and exposure. The Arts and Living Cultures Unit does not employ artists but facilitates arts development programmes such as poetry, dance, choral and traditional music, hip hop, jazz, theatre and comedy by offering workshops, seminars, exhibitions and live performance opportunities.

“Parks, Recreation and Culture is focused on social cohesion,” explains Head of Parks, Recreation and Culture Unit, Thembinkosi Ngcobo “We are blessed with world-class facilities and we want to encourage further activity in the city’s many public spaces – especially those which aren’t optimally utilised. We also want to foreground the city’s natural heritage and send out a message that our beaches, parks and open spaces need preserving, protecting and promoting. So often the Durban population neglects the natural heritage, so we want to encourage Durbanites to become exposed to our public spaces and utilise them more, and to become more familiar with the city’s diverse cultures and creative activities.”

A stage will be erected for the day on the Bay of Plenty lawns. There will be back-to-back entertainment as well as installations, displays and stalls on the periphery showcasing some of the city’s cultural projects. Entry is free and all are welcome.

With its youth focus, it is an alcohol-free event, so only soft drinks will be available. There will also be a mini open air market.

The skateboard park alongside the lawns will also be operational, with BMX / cycle / skateboard enthusiasts doing demos and comps as part of the day’s programme.

Freedom of the Mind takes place on September 5 from 10h00 until 20h00 at the  Bay of Plenty, Durban beachfront, next to the Skateboard area. For more information, contact Phumelele Myeza from Parks, Recreation & Culture Unit on 031 311 2410 or 031 311 2427/8 or email: Phumelele.Myeza@durban.gov.za