(Welcome
to Grahamstown. Photo by Jan Potgieter, NAF 2017)
Grahamstown’s annual gathering of creative
and artistic talent is readying itself for a reboot as the National Arts
Festival reveals some fresh features for this year’s programme.
Creativate
Digital Arts Festival
As the breakneck evolution of technology
spills over into all facets of life, artists are absorbing the playful
possibilities that digital technology brings - and a new generation of arts
lovers is emerging as a result.
Presented by Standard Bank, the new
Creativate Digital Arts Festival is being produced by the National Arts
Festival with curatorial advisor, Toby Shapshack. From a virtual reality dinner
party play to digital graffiti and workshops on digital music composition and
production, this brand new Festival is likely to draw plenty of curiosity as creativity
and technology converge.
The
Festival of Film and Ideas
This reimagined aspect of the Festival sees
a programme of thought-provoking discussions, workshops and experiences, many
of which are aligned to the works and themes seen on the Festival stages. The
Festival’s film element is being curated by award-winning film and documentary
maker, Dylan Valley who will reflect on this year’s curatorial prompt Silences and Voices.
“We wanted to locate what we previously
staged as ‘ThinkFest’ more firmly in the Festival’s programming and give it a
new energy and momentum,” Executive Producer Ashraf Johaardien explained. “So
by creating this festival-within-a-festival we’re binding together a lot of the
content that gives rise to debate and inspiration. It will serve as a valuable
bridge to our artistic programme and a framework within which Festinos can
engage each other and our artists,” he said.
New
Home for the Village Green
The Festival’s popular market and meeting
place is moving to Victoria Girls’ School in Beaufort Street, bringing the
attraction closer to the centre of town and residential areas. The market will
be completely redesigned, with zones and spaces for families and kids, an
improved food court and beer tent offering and more accessible box office area.
Entertainers will be an integral part of the experience, including a group of
international buskers fresh from their summer Festival circuits.
Says Festival CEO Tony Lankester, “We have
partnered with Standard Bank to reinvent this essential Festival hub and we
think it’s going to be buzzing this year.”
Says Jenny Pheiffer, Head - Brand,
Sponsorships and Events at Standard Bank. “We’re looking forward to an
energised National Arts Festival. The Standard Bank Village Green, in its new
location, will be the festival hub for great craft shopping, amazing food and
it’s the perfect place to visit in-between shows. We also believe that the
digital arts festival, Creativate, will provide audiences with fresh and
innovative experiences and engaging discussion. The Standard Bank Jazz Festival
will be turning its attention this year to the rebirth of jazz, as a new
generation of musicians tackle our musical legacy. That’s a lot of reasons why
you should not miss the National Arts Festival this year!”
(To
link direct to the NAF site click on the large banner that runs across the top
of this blog)
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