Attending the National Arts Festival can cost you a pretty penny if you're not careful about what you splash out to see. Here's what's on that won't cost a cent.

Attending the National Arts Festival can cost you a pretty penny if you're not careful about what you splash out to see. Here's what's on that won't cost a cent.

The good news is that some of the most exciting, high-quality offerings are out on the streets (and in the gardens…) and are absolutely free.

Tshini Kwedini! produced by OddBody Theatre (Makana)

Loosely adapted from the Antoine De Saint Exupéry’s The Little Prince. A local herdboy, tired of living in his tiny village sets out on an adventure to far-away places.

With song, dance, clowning, music, stilts, juggling and acrobatics, this production, draws its performers from various local drama, dance and cultural groups.

A Fairies Tale by Fidget Feet Aerial Dance (Ireland)

The Botanical Gardens are the setting for this story about Buglite, the only fairy left who hasn't become a character in a computer game. This theatrical performance piece takes the audience on a dancing, running and walking journey through the garden.

Machitún by Proyecto 34°S (Argentina) directed by Javier Drucaroff

An outdoor spectacle with flying bouncing acrobats, ethereal dance, dream-like live electronic music, the beat of drums and soaring harmonies, set against a dramatic backdrop of shadow and light, rain and fire. Choreography and performance by Cirque du Soleil-selected acrobat Pablo Descoubes, music by electronic composer and performer Ernesto Romeo.

Move Your Mind End-of-Festival street parade

This is when Festival visitors and local community-based artists cavort as costumed revellers down the street. Enjoy the spectacle of giant puppets, stand tall alongside the Phezulu Stilt walkers, dance to the rhythm of the drumbeats of the Sakhaluntu dancers and drummers, somersault or cartwheel down the streets with acrobatic artists from the Oddbody Collective.

Tomorrow’s Joy

A bottle-top mosaic commissioned by the Johannesburg Arts Alive International Festival. This 7m x 14m spectacular eco-conscious artwork is made up of more than 90 000 discarded plastic bottle tops.

PPC Cement sculpture

A cement sculpture created by artist Zach Taljaardt will be created and be installed at the St Mary’s Centre for displaced and marginalised youth.

Interacting with Art walkabouts

These guide visual art enthusiasts through the Main Visual Art Exhibitions, at various venues. The Festival is also partnering with Route 67, an Open Public Gallery in and around the Donkin Reserve in Port Elizabeth that showcases 67 Public Art Works.

CO/MIX 2011

Join practical workshops with the CO/MIX 2011 artists – 26 South Africans and four international artists, each involved in some aspect of comic art and sculpture. Sundowner concerts In the Monument foyer daily at 5pm.

See more 2011 National Arts Festival news and multimedia here

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