Festival might just not be in your budget this year. Maybe it's because you've got school fees to pay, are a ratepayer helping shore up local government debt, or your crucial cash is on hold for a fantastic trip to Greece.
Festival might just not be in your budget this year. Maybe it's because you've got school fees to pay, are a ratepayer helping shore up local government debt, or your crucial cash is on hold for a fantastic trip to Greece.
But there's a lot you can still see and do for free.
Transnet Village Green Fair is a good place to start if you're looking for free entertainment.
Transformed daily into a huge market place, you can feast your eyes on Festival couture, cool crafts and clever colourful things you didn't know you needed.
Performers use the Village Green to market their shows to the public, there's affordable food and just watching funky Festinos could occupy you for a whole day.
Every day during Festival there's a free Sundowner Concert from 5pm in the Monument Foyer.
Many Fringe acts have signed up for a free first-performance deal.
In the programme, look out for the white-on-red exclamation mark that shows the performance is part of the Free Fringe Festival.
The Drostdy Lawns, Botanic Gardens and Oatlands school grounds are some of the venues for a burgeoning Public Art offering.
These include Danish musical theatre troupe BATIDA's Overture; 'Ilifa' – The inheritance and the Handspring Puppet Company's Joey.
Analogue Eye is a mobile drive-in theatre and pop-up cinema experience created and curated by Brent Meistre.
The project pays homage to the traditional drive-in experience where viewers drive their vehicles to an open area, and the soundtrack is broadcast to car stereos (and to stereos provided).
The screened works are video artworks made by a variety of African artists.
Using Augmented Reality (AR) on mobile devices, iOS or Androids, festival-goers can participate in a virtual tour of South African contemporary dance in Jeannette Ginslov’s P(AR)take.
Participants in Ginslov’s city-walk will be able to see short videos of South African choreographers' works over the last forty years within the context of South African history and its transformation.
Future-Past is a murals project that will be created by South African mural artist Andrew Lindsey and arts facilitator Bobby Rodwell.
Celebrated French street theatre company, Compagnie Des Quidams, will bring their acclaimed production Herbert's Dream to Grahamstown with the support of the French Institute of South Africa.
Long white figures on stilts draped in cloths evolve into voluminous characters to create a mesmerising visual spectacle.
Forty See More/ Fortissimo is the National Arts Festival’s 5th Annual Street Parade.
Giant puppets, stilt-walkers, marching bands and street dancers will form a long and colourful procession that will wind through the streets of Grahamstown to mark the end of yet another 11 Days of Amazing!
Almost all performances are reduced to half price on 13 July, the final day of the Festival.
Discounts are available for fully registerd students and pupils.
Block bookings for groups of 10 or more get cheaper prices.
This year's National Arts Festival organised by the Grahamstown Foundation, will take place from 3 July – 13 July at the1820 Settlers National Monument .
