This year’s Grahamstown National Arts Festival will be blended with a touch of soccer action since it will be held during the same period as the Fifa Soccer World Cup.
From 20 June to 4 July Grahamstown will be buzzing with the excitement of cultural activities, soccer hype and theatre entertainment.
This year’s Grahamstown National Arts Festival will be blended with a touch of soccer action since it will be held during the same period as the Fifa Soccer World Cup.
From 20 June to 4 July Grahamstown will be buzzing with the excitement of cultural activities, soccer hype and theatre entertainment.
The 15 days of Amazing programme is expected to bring in fresh and unique performances from both national and international arenas.
The director of the National Arts Festival Ismail Mahomed says they are introducing new skills and programmes that will be suitable for audiences of a cross range of demographics.
He also says that with regard to activities, “we want to leave no street untouched in Grahamstown.”
Although the Fifa Soccer World Cup is expected to draw the crowds, Mahomed says there should be no competition between the sports and the arts.
In addition to the varied arts feast, two productions about soccer forming part of a new programme will be
introduced. One of the productions will feature a well known international skilled soccer player whose identity will remain a surprise until further notice.
The Dream Fields Project which was launched by John Perlman in 2007 and Rhodes University will also bring joy to young people’s hearts through a soccer development programme.
Here children from township schools will be given some soccer kits and some training so that they can also participate and get a feel of the magic.
Soccer will not only be one of the Festival highlights but a new programme called The Arena will also
added to the Main and Fringe programmes.
The media will also be given an opportunity to gain more knowledge about reporting on events. Journalists will be given a boost through a two day training programme. “We realised that by upscaling our journalists, the city will get more mileage,”said Mahomed.
Adding to the fun and excitement is the 10th birthday celebration of the EgaziniOutreach Programme which was founded in 2000 by Dominic Thorburn and Julia Wells.
Through this outreach project – which is one Grahamstown’s arts and heritage initiatives – local artists are able to interpret the past and present through various art forms.
The anniversary will be celebrated in July. Locals and visitors alike will be amazed by what the City of Saints has to offer.
