After celebrating, in 2014, four decades of superb programming, vibrant creativity, courageous experimentation, dynamic international collaborations and a passion for celebrating excellence, the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown is calling for proposals for the 2015 Main programme. The Festival will run from Thursday 2 July to Sunday 12 July 2015. “We are looking for compelling performances, exhibitions and cross-disciplinary works that raise the bar of excellence and innovation; proposals … [Read more...] about Calls to submit your National Arts Festival 2015 proposals
Art
2014 ImpACT Awards Judges
The panel of judges, who will be adjudicating the 2014 Arts & Culture Trust ImpACT Awards for Young Professionals, has been announced. A group of well-known and respected professionals working across a variety of contexts will convene to judge this year’s entries for the ImpACT Awards. They are: theatre personality Caroline Smart, visual artist David Koloane, arts education and heritage activist Nadia Virasamy, 2013 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre Prince Lamla, culture and craft … [Read more...] about 2014 ImpACT Awards Judges
The National Arts Festival Stats Celebrate 40 years of Artistry
Street parades, a birthday celebration, a dazzling array of international performers from over 40 countries, and over 2800 performances in eleven days all contributed to a record 225 538 attendees at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown this year. Releasing attendance figures this morning, Festival CEO Tony Lankester paid tribute to the artists whose work “filled our stages and the hearts of our audience” during the annual event. “This was a special year for us for a variety of reasons, … [Read more...] about The National Arts Festival Stats Celebrate 40 years of Artistry
Second time round for Charl Blignaut
Charl Blignaut, Arts Editor of City Press newspaper, has been named South Africa’s Arts Journalist of the Year for the second consecutive year. The prize, together with that of six Gold and five Silver Merit Award winners, was included in the announcement of the recipients of the 2014 National Arts Festival Arts Journalist of the Year Awards, presented by Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) in Grahamstown this morning. At the announcement, Tony Lankester, CEO of the National Arts Festival, … [Read more...] about Second time round for Charl Blignaut
100 years since the birth of Andre Vancoillie
The memory of well known Russell Road College Fine Artist and Lecturer, Andre Vancoillie (1914-1975) lives on in a tribute web site created by local artist and pupil Don Bell (with assistance from MyPE). 100 years have passed since Andre Vancoillie's birth on 4 July 1914. As Don says; "Because Andre’ Vancoillie was not afforded the recognition he deserved during his lifetime by the establishment, Don is donating his time to rectify this by populating the web site with Andre’s history, … [Read more...] about 100 years since the birth of Andre Vancoillie
Adelaide Tambo Award for Human Rights in the Arts
The role of the arts in transforming South Africa from an apartheid state to a constitutional democracy will be under the spotlight at this year’s National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Over the years, the Fringe programme at the Festival has been an open access platform for artists who have engaged the arts for social and political advocacy. During the eighties’ State of Emergency in South Africa, the Fringe programme was volatile and the work represented the political tensions of the … [Read more...] about Adelaide Tambo Award for Human Rights in the Arts
Arts Journalism Awards – You gotta be in it to win it!
The National Arts Festival and Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) have announced the Silver Awards for this year’s Arts Journalism Awards. From this list of ‘finalists’, Gold Award winners, together with the overall ‘Arts Journalist of the Year’, will be announced in Grahamstown on 6 July 2014. “It is heartening to see that our arts journalists deliver quality work day after day even though some publications are cutting back on the amount of coverage they give the arts. This augers well … [Read more...] about Arts Journalism Awards – You gotta be in it to win it!
Look at the ways in which this torn country can be reconstructed in part through the rich threads of culture
Tracing heritage and legacies and looking back to our roots are themes that come up strongly on the programme at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown this year as 20 years of democracy in South Africa come into focus. In 1993 then-President Nelson Mandela called on the arts community to “look at the ways in which this torn country can be reconstructed in part through the rich threads of culture”. South Africa’s artists responded loud and clear – and the Festival this year reflects on the … [Read more...] about Look at the ways in which this torn country can be reconstructed in part through the rich threads of culture
Fringe Four Hundred or so …..
The Fringe at the National Arts Festival is always a vibrant, diverse collection of performances because participation is open to all and no selection criteria is enforced. As SA’s ‘most democratic Festival’, if you have the will and a way, you can apply to find yourself ‘on the Fringe’. This year there are more than 400 shows and exhibitions on the Fringe encompassing children’s theatre, film, music, comedy, drama, physical theatre, dance, cabaret, visual art, performance poetry and musical … [Read more...] about Fringe Four Hundred or so …..
Arts and Culture Trust supports projects at the National Arts Festival
Through the newly-restructured Professional Development Programme funded by Nedbank Arts Affinity, the Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) is proud to be supporting projects in their appearance at the National Arts Festival, which takes place 3 – 13 July 2014 in the Eastern Cape city of Grahamstown. Well Worn, Jungle and Seka Theatre Companies will present an outdoor physical theatre production in the Botanical Gardens. Directed by Kyla Davis, THE BAOBAB - a new, site-responsive African eco-play, … [Read more...] about Arts and Culture Trust supports projects at the National Arts Festival
Young Artists inspire at the 2014 National Arts Festival
There is always much excitement and high expectations in Grahamstown when the Standard Bank Young Artists unveil the fruits of their labours to Festival audiences. This year Standard Bank marks 30 years of sponsorship for these awards and to honour this anniversary, an unprecendented seven awards were made in 2014. A theatre favourite, Greg Homann’s OEDIPUS @ KOÖ-NÚ! is based on the tragedy Oedipus at Colonus by Sophocles. Giving some background to his work Homann explains how he cast the … [Read more...] about Young Artists inspire at the 2014 National Arts Festival
Local Wish You Were Here exhibits benefit from ACT
The Arts and Culture Trust (ACT) has announced the first recipients of funding from its newly structured Professional Development Programme, funded by Nedbank’s Arts Affinity programme. ACT identified a desperate need for consistent long-term support of the infrastructure that enables arts and culture production and programming. Three-year grants are intended to make a meaningful impact on the capacity and sustainability of South African arts and culture organisations, and have been made … [Read more...] about Local Wish You Were Here exhibits benefit from ACT
Jazz Superstars set to dazzle at Fest
The Standard Bank Jazz Festival 2014 incorporates a variety of disciplines into its programme. The ever-popular Mainstream is just one of the genres that will be highlighted at the festival this year. The others include Blues, Funk, World Music, Afro-Jazz, Modern Jazz and Youth. This year’s Mainstream line-up includes a glittering cluster of Jazz musicians representing the ‘standards’ of Jazz standards. Multi Grammy-award-winning composer, conductor and performer Maria Schneider will be … [Read more...] about Jazz Superstars set to dazzle at Fest
2014 Performing Arts Scholarships registration deadline is 31 May
Aspiring performing artists are reminded that the deadline for participation in the sixth annual ACT | DALRO | Nedbank Performing Arts Scholarships Awards is fast approaching. These substantial scholarships are awarded to enable ambitious youngsters keen to pursue a performing arts course at any accredited South African tertiary institution. Through an annual country-wide competition; participants are assessed on their acting, dancing and singing potential; with the process culminating in a … [Read more...] about 2014 Performing Arts Scholarships registration deadline is 31 May
Dr Peter Magubane’s exhibition in Port Elizabeth
Internationally acclaimed South African photographer Dr Peter Magubane's exhibition called A struggle without documentation is no struggle, a retrospective of Magubane's work from 1954 to 1994, runs util 29 May 2014 at the EPSAC Community Art Centre in Port Elizabeth. This follows the successful hosting of the exhibition at the Absa Gallery in February and March in Johannesburg, marking 20 years of freedom and democracy in South Africa this year. From the streets of the country's townships … [Read more...] about Dr Peter Magubane’s exhibition in Port Elizabeth
