Let us laugh, dance, a little
The economy has been heading south for a while now and our municipality is in a state of management and financial crisis.
Yet somehow, come Thursday, the National Arts Festival will step on to the stage of our broken pavements and celebrate the resilience of the creative spirit.
We also have reason to smile; at least more than other municipal areas. The National Arts Festival gives us a chance to showcase our bitterly cold June weather, our warm hospitality, and the relative safety of life, limb and possession. Many B&B pads have been booked in advance and pretty much everyone with a room to spare often gets a chance to earn a little bit of money.
Our local artists also get a chance to show off their skills in whatever medium they excel, while the big supermarkets, eateries, fuel stations and even car guards will be counting rands and cents. The National Arts Festival makes a significant contribution to the economy of Grahamstown, and the Eastern Cape.
There have of course been claims that the 11 days mostly enrich and entertain people in the CBD and suburbia.
The Fingo Arts Festival is a collaboration between the National Art Festival and through it, Grahamstown residents have had a chance to show and enjoy local talent.
This year, the wonderful Grahamstown-born show that has toured nationally to great acclaim, The Gruffalo, will be on daily, exclusively at Noluthando Hall in Joza. It’s a fantastic show – don’t miss it!
And just across the way, Nompumelelo Community Centre is host to several family oriented shows.
Our own homegrown Ubom! drama company will perform in Memory Hall.
Makana Municipality’s local economic development directorate will be hosting local crafters at the Village Green market.
And of course, Rhodes University Drama Department is out in full force at the Student Drama Festival.
Bringing the Festival home in an even more meaningful way is the Festival’s teaming up with Grahamstown Child Welfare in the organisation’s centenary year.
You’re invited to make a donation to this organisation that does essential work for Grahamstown’s children under very difficult circumstances when you buy your tickets.
School children from township schools should ideally be more visible at all festival venues, with sponsorship from any all those who care about creating a sustainable interest in the arts among all Grahamstown’s young people.
Unlike big cities like Cape Town and Johannesburg that regularly host most of the performers we swoon over, we have just 11 days to enjoy them.
But what’s emerging more strongly every year is the amazing talent and capacity for creativity we have on our doorstep. While the Festival is a chance to reignite the creative spark with fresh inspiration, it’s also a chance to see the value we as a town can call our own.