Did you know that the Grahamstown National Arts Festival will be marking its 40th Anniversary this Year? Many well known artists from the Eastern Cape such as the late Victor Ntoni and Zim Ngqawana have performed on its various stages. The economic spinoffs for the Eastern Cape province are immense as beaders, crafters, ceramicists, pottery makers, stone masons, use their creative talents to weave, sew and seam the most colourful authentic products using beads, brilliant bright oranges and yellow cottons, rich red ocre colours that resemble the aloe plant flowers. For 11 days, you are warmly immensed into songs, dance, visual arts and theatre performances that have gone on to grace global stages. Do you remember u Carmen e Khayelitsha, Tsotsi and Hotel Rwanda? These are South African productions that have gone on to receive many Awards and nominations at many Film Festivals all over the world. It is also likely that some of the artists you have seen perform in this productions have performed at the National Arts Festival. The Festival is an enabling performing space for Artists, who are the Architects of our Souls to probe the difficult questions facing our country, through Dance, there is a piece about the struggles of workers who die underground mining for Gold,There is a ThinkFest that ask gripping questions about the making of a Nation - State and what it means to be a South African. Cabaret, Contemporary music, Jazz, Physical Theatre, will allow the Art Lover to experience, new sounds, rythms, motions, feelings of being . Sponsored by Standard Bank for the past 30 yrs, the Festival is a brilliant work of collaboration between Government, the Private sector and the media.This Tripartite alliance also includes, a Spirit Fest which is a celebration of arts in the context of the Christian Faith.Who knows one day the Spirit Fest might lend itself to the rich bouquet of a secular State. If you cant make it for the entire 11 days, make a Shot- Left, Getaway weekend wena nabanganbakho, to just bask in the warmth of Grahamstown pubs whilst listening to the likes of Hugh Masekela, the Mzansi Youth Choir or members of the Eastern Cape Philharmonic Opera! See you in Grahamstowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn!
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 18:28:51 +0000
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