On behalf of Makana Municipality and its citizens I would like to welcome you to the world's third-largest and South Africa's biggest annual festival.
On behalf of Makana Municipality and its citizens I would like to welcome you to the world's third-largest and South Africa's biggest annual festival.
A most vibrant explosion and celebration of arts and culture.
Now in its 39th year, the Festival has more than 700 events on the Main and Fringe programmes, which span from theatre to dance, opera to cabaret, fine art to craft, classical music to jazz and poetry readings to lectures.
Alongside the National Arts Festival, we also have Spiritfest, Film Festival, Fingo Village Festival and the Children's Festival. A special welcome and thank you to the roughly 20 countries represented at this year's festival.
Your participation is encouraging and we appreciate the diversity you bring to the Festival.
Over the past years we have seen many different countries represented at the festival – it's our own United Nations in Grahamstown.
Congratulations to the six Standard Bank Young Artist Award winners.
We know that the Festival is moving in the right direction when it acknowledges the talent of our younger generation, who are the future of this Festival and our country.
In incorporating the youth of South Africa in these various art forms, it then creates jobs and opportunities for the greater arts community to grow and puts more locals in the international field of the arts.
This is why we would like to encourage the Department of Arts and Culture to sponsor more young and talented aspiring artists to realise their dreams.
The festival is not only about fun and excitement – it's also about the economic injection for Makana. We are hoping more people from the communities of Makana will become involved so that they, too, will benefit financially.
Negotiations are currently under way to upgrade the airport in Grahamstown to allow Boeing 737s to land. This will encourage even more people to attend the Festival and visit Makana.
The R27 million injection by the Neighbourhood Development Grant Partnership to establish the first phase Egazini Interpretation Centre is progressing steadily.
The direct spin-off will be that artists trained at this centre will be able to exhibit and sell their wares at the Festival.
At least there will be a resource centre where the true history of this region will be properly documented.
I would like to encourage all our visitors to take in all that is Makana and enjoy the 11 days of Amazing.
Thank you.
