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Sunday, February 28, 2016

SPONSORSHIP TO DURBAN PERFORMERS FOR NAF



(Shona Johnson in B!*ch Stole My Doek. Pic by Val Adamson)

Deadline: March 11, 2016

eThekwini’s office of Arts and Living Cultures invites interested groups and individuals from eThekwini who are taking productions to the 2016 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown to apply to the department for financial and marketing support.

As part of the city’s continued commitment to ensure that Durban has a meaningful presence at the National Arts Festival (NAF) in Grahamstown in July, it selects a comprehensive range of productions to support and assist.

The application process is open to groups and individuals who have already registered and have been approved to perform on the fringe at Grahamstown. There are no criteria restricting the genre of productions to be supported: they can be dance, musical theatre, drama, comedy or physical theatre.

Selected productions will receive city support towards their transport, accommodation and marketing costs.

To be considered, interested candidates need to send in a comprehensive motivation – including their approval reference number from NAF, confirmed performance dates, times and designated performance venue, as well as a detailed proposal about the production to be staged, and information about the production company, including their history and experience. A letter or letters of reference and support material about their company’s previous work would be an advantage.

“Our production, B!*ch Stole My Doek, was sponsored by the eThekwini Municipality to go to the National Arts Festival in 2015. This sponsorship eased the pressure, enabling us to focus on our production, rather than on transport, accommodation and marketing costs, that touring entails. Our production went on to win a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the festival, and was invited to perform on the Cape Town Fringe, again with sponsorship from the eThekwini Municipality on their post-Grahamstown theatre performance development programme. We thank the city for their continued support of the Arts in eThekwini. We also encourage artists and production houses in Durban to apply when programmes like these are offered, and to partner with the city in showcasing home-grown talent,” said Durban writer and director Clinton Marius.

The 2016 National Arts Festival will be held from June 30 to July 11 in Grahamstown, and promises to be another exhilarating celebration of the best in performance and visual arts in South Africa.

Applications must be hand-delivered to 99 Umgeni Road, Durban on or before March 11 at 15h00.

Further enquiries can be addressed to Themba Mchunu: Manager – Arts and Living Cultures, eThekwini Municipality; or Phumelele Myeza at phumelele.myeza@durban.gov.za or 031 311 2427/8.