The National Arts Festival is gearing up for its 37th season in Grahamstown to take place from 30 June – 10 July 2011.
Highlights in the Main programme will include the 2011 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners: Ben Schoeman (Music), Neil Coppen (Drama), Nandipha Mntambo (Visual Art), Mamela Nyamza (Dance) and Bokani Dyer (Jazz).
The National Arts Festival is gearing up for its 37th season in Grahamstown to take place from 30 June – 10 July 2011.
Highlights in the Main programme will include the 2011 Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners: Ben Schoeman (Music), Neil Coppen (Drama), Nandipha Mntambo (Visual Art), Mamela Nyamza (Dance) and Bokani Dyer (Jazz).
Meanwhile, the Fringe Festival is busy scheduling more than 280 cutting edge South African productions and at least 10 productions from the rest of Africa and Europe. The Arena programme, launched in 2010, will be premiering new works by winning producers of last year’s inaugural Standard Bank Fringe Ovation Award.
Street theatre productions and art will once again create a city-wide buzz and the Festival will close with a spectacular laser and fireworks show by artists from Grahamstown and Argentina. The popular Village Green Market will be back and the Fiddler’s Green Market will this year host a fully–fledged circus.
The Wordfest, Thinkfest and Hands On! Masks Off! programmes will return again, as will the Spiritfest programme which will include a brand new gospel music line-up at Nombulelo Hall in Joza.
Jazz-lovers will not be disappointed by the Standard Bank Jazz Festival line-up with some of the best international jazz musicians. Likewise, the Filmfest promises to deliver on it's reputation, and the Fringe film programme will introduce an exciting format to promote independent film-makers.
With the Durban climate change conference in mind, the Festival will feature an interactive hub for environmentalists, artists and audiences to engage in creative activities that can help to save the planet. An specially commissioned artwork made from more than 5000 bottle tops will be on display.
And this year visitors en-route can stop-over at a new arts route initiative called Route 67 which includes five galleries in Port Elizabeth, and is a celebration of the 67-year political career of Nelson Mandela. Visit the National Arts Festival website for more information: www.nationalartsfestival.co.za.
