(An aerial view of Grahamstown focusing on the 1820 Monument)
The world’s arts spotlight will fall once more on
Grahamstown from June 29 to July 9, 2017, as the National Art’s Festival
presents a ‘window into the soul’ of South Africa’s artists through a varied
and exciting programme of performances.
The Festival has long been a cultural pilgrimage for artists
and audiences wanting to immerse themselves in multiple genres of theatre and
art, soaking up the small-town atmosphere and passionate post-theatre debates.
And this year organisers are flagging a programme change that may affect many
visitors’ plans.
“Traditionally we open the Festival with a weekend programme
anchored by an orchestra performance and, quite often, a ballet. The second
weekend was then given over to a closing party featuring some big music shows.
This year we’re flipping these weekends around – with lots of high profile
artists performing on the opening weekend, and the Festival closing with the
much-loved ballet and orchestra on the second weekend,” new executive producer
Ashraf Johaardien said, explaining that the change was necessary as a result of
later than usual mid-year school holidays which were affecting scheduling.
The Festival’s artistic committee is in the final stages of
curating a new cutting-edge core of works that will be at heart of this year’s
Main programme. Johaardien explains that his role is to bring the curated
programme to life, and to build a solid programme around that, so the Festival
celebrates a broad range of work that is the best that South African artists
can offer.
Says Johaardien, “The Festival is a legacy project and I am
really just the most recently appointed caretaker. In the team responsible for
assembling and delivering this mammoth showcase of creativity, my job is to
ensure that the loyal following the Festival has built up over the last four
decades will find all the highlights and heavy-hitters they have come to love and
expect, while ensuring that we are also evolving and innovating the programme
to grow our audience for the future.”
Festival CEO, Tony Lankester, advised Festival goers to make
their plans well in advance, “Grahamstown has an assortment of accommodation
options from B&B’s to home rentals and much in between. In addition,
visitors can stay slightly further afield on one of the game farms or in one of
the nearby towns (Bathurst, Kenton and Port Alfred) for a blend of culture and
seaside town. Shuttles also run daily between Port Elizabeth and Grahamstown.”
The National Arts Festival’s website has a detailed resource
for planning Festival logistics https://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za/2017-festival/travel-stay/
The Department of Arts and Culture reaffirmed their funding
commitment to the Festival last year with a three-year contract valued at R17
million, and they continue to be a supportive partner in ensuring this vital
platform is available to artists across South Africa. Says Arts and Culture
Minister - Minister Nathi Mthethwa, “The National Arts Festival continues to
create a space for the arts to develop and flourish; it has played a pivotal
role in the careers of many of the county’s premier artists and many return
back to the Festival to perform for South African audiences.”
Standard Bank remain one of the National Arts Festival’s
longest-standing sponsors and will be presenting a stellar line-up of jazz from
both South Africa and abroad.
The host sponsor is the Eastern Cape Government. The Eastern
Cape’s MEC for the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Dr Pemmy
Majodina, is a vocal advocate of the Festival “The Eastern Cape is the proud home
of this prestigious festival which is proving itself to be an artistic
footprint in the province. We look forward to welcoming international and
national artists and audiences descending on Rhini for yet another Eleven Days
of Amazing.”
The 2017 National Arts Festival Programme will be revealed
in a series of announcements from March until booking opens to the public on May
2, 2017.
The National Arts Festival is grateful to the Department of
Arts and Culture, Eastern Cape Provincial Government, and Standard Bank of
South Africa.
(To link direct to the
National Arts Festival site click on the large banner that runs across the top
of this blog)
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