‘The arts are back’ says NAF Fringe awards judge

The closing weekend of the National Arts Festival celebrated the stamina, creativity and energy of South African artists with the Standard Bank Ovation Awards.

The late-night awards took place after the last shows of the evening on July 2.

Throughout the Festival, Standard Bank Ovation Awards are given to top productions on the Fringe programme.

On the last night of the Festival, the winners gather to hear who will receive the Gold, Silver and Bronze Ovation Awards.

The Fringe programme is made up of shows that are independently produced and funded.

A panel of reviewers sees every show on the Fringe and meets daily to compare reviews.

Winners are notified as soon as they are awarded. This year’s panel was jointly convened by Ranique Roberts and Kutlwano Kepadisa. The panel saw 128 shows in nine days.

“I adjudicated a performance and left in tears,” said Roberts. “Not only was I moved by the performance, but also the heartfelt energy.

“Dancing and singing along, I looked around the room in admiration of how this performance had brought together every single person in the room, no matter their age, race or background. It was a full realisation that the arts are back!”

Kepadisa said: “The Standard Bank Ovation Awards really affirm the work that artists do encouraging them to keep creating and producing. There were some incredible productions at this year’s Festival and a lot of them from young unknown and upcoming creatives.

“The Ovation Awards are an endorsement of quality to shows which may otherwise not have been seen or known.”

Fringe artists rely on ticket sales to make a success of their run at the Festival.

The awards see R7,000 going to each of the Gold winners, R3,000 to each Silver winner and R2,000 to each Bronze recipient.

Speaking at the awards, Standard Bank’s head of sponsorship, Desiree Pooe, reminded the audience that in August 2020 the events and creative industry had lit buildings and theatres with red lighting in a show of frustration as work was suspended by Covid-19.

“Here we are in 2022, having a live Festival and we’ve lit this building blue to signal the sector’s return to live performance and this, our first occasion to be together again,” she said.