(Above: The Cirk’s Malo and the Moon Maiden at the National Arts Festival 2025. Picture: Mark Wessels)
Message from the National Arts Festival:
Every festival has seasons that shift perspective. This year has brought change - in numbers, in energy, in how we think about what we do and why we do it.
The cultural landscape is changing. Market conditions are shifting. The way people engage with festivals, with each other, with live culture is changing, and we're paying attention. We're also rethinking our own role. How do we serve artists and audiences in ways that are sustainable and meaningful? These aren't questions with quick, easy solutions but we’re asking the questions. And rethinking the future.
New Leadership, New
Ideas
We believe deeply in our mission to be a platform for
diverse stories and extraordinary talent from South Africa and the world: and a
genuine connection point for artists, audiences and creativity. Our new
Chairperson, Professor Siphiwo Mahala, is bringing fresh energy and clarity to
our governance, working with the Board and the Festival team to rethink how we
operate in a changing environment. We're taking time to do that properly,
intentionally and in a way that’s reflective of our commitment to the future.
The 2026 National Arts Festival is set to be presented in Makhanda from June 25 - July 5 and we look forward to sharing some news about what to expect from early next year.
Beyond the Festival
Here in Makhanda, the National Arts Festival’s team is once again applying its project management skills to the fourth round of the Social Employment Fund.
This project, a partnership with the Presidential Employment
Stimulus Programme and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), is part of
a national effort to create employment and improve the lives of communities
which has shown strong gains in getting people out of long-term unemployment through
short term work contracts.
This year we also flighted the Festival Enterprise Catalyst (FEC) along with our partners, The Jobs Fund, arts festivals; Woordfees, KKNK, Suidoosterfees, Aardklop, and organisations - Concerts SA, SAMRO, NATi and the Tribuo Fund. The project is focused on creation and mobility; connecting work across festivals and stimulating mobility for musicians, artists and technical crews in South Africa. While we made great strides in our first round, we look forward to expanding and refining this impact. The FEC has also fostered a new spirit of collaboration between some of South Africa’s key arts festivals and facilitators and we look forward to taking this into next year and a new round of work
(Right: The SEF Project operates various projects including recycling, greening, cleansing and infrastructure repairs. Image Mark Wessels)
Time for Rest
To everyone who shared and showed up, partnered and
supported, travelled and created, wrote, reinvented and remembered, kicked up
dust, kept us going and gave us hope - thank you. We love what you do and we’d
also love to know what you think about what the next year should bring…
Tell Us
Our team will be out of office from December 12, 2025, until
January 12, 2026, but we look forward to a new year and new energy.
Till then, wishing you all a time of rest and celebration as we close out a busy year and hit pause.
Best wishes
The National Arts Festival Team
https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/
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