BRIDGING the gap between East and West is this group’s aim. But in this case, it’s the socio-ecomic gap between Grahamstown East (the township) and Grahamstown West (the ’burbs) that needs some innovation.
BRIDGING the gap between East and West is this group’s aim. But in this case, it’s the socio-ecomic gap between Grahamstown East (the township) and Grahamstown West (the ’burbs) that needs some innovation.
This Festival, a group of Cape Town and Grahamstown artists will be working with the local Sakhaluntu Theatre Group, the children of Extension 9, volunteer Fringe actors and Rhodes Art and Drama students to produce Mixtape.
Group member and Sculpture student Bronwen Salton said their ardent wish is to shed some light on some of the less mainstream areas through more interactive performances and workshops.
The group offers workshops to the children of Extension 9 who will be able to learn skills like juggling, dancing, performing and drumming.
It’s all a matter of sharing what you have learnt with others who are less fortunate. Launching today is the windsocks project where the kids will showcase windsocks they made from recycled materials.
“We went around cleaning the whole area collecting litter to make them, so waste is being turned into something cultural,” says Salton.
The wind socks will be flown from places all over town including Three Chimneys Farm which will be the venue of the music festival, the Sound Kiln.
They will also be touching the skies around the Extension 9 area and the International Library of African Music (Ilam) where some of the workshops are being held.
Haynes says the windsocks are a visual representation of crossing the great divide in Grahamstown. “High art which tends to be associated with the west with local; so-called ‘low art’ being in the east.”
Mixtape will also be driving a mobile cinema van around town to screen short films and art displays at different locations around town.
Salton and Haynes both said that one of Mixtape’s main goals is to try and “decentralise the Festival” and lure people away from the CBD and the Settlers Monument, which is inaccessible to a lot of Grahamstonians.
Mixtape have planned a huge End of Festival party to take place on Friday 2 July. They have DJs coming down from Cape Town and local DJs from Grahamstown, including some Rhodes Music Radio DJs.
The party is being held at the Egazini Outreach Centre which is an old apartheid prison but is now used for local artists, musicians, performers and crafters to showcase their talent. You can catch the full performance schedule in Cue.
