Format Flip for Fest 2017
The world’s arts spotlight will fall once more on Grahamstown from 29 June to 9 July 2017 as the National Art’s Festival’s presents a window into the soul of South Africa’s artists through a varied and exciting programme of performances.
This year organisers are flagging a programme change that may affect many visitors’ plans.
“Traditionally we open the Festival with a weekend programme anchored by an orchestra performance and, quite often, a ballet. The second weekend was then given over to a closing party featuring some big music shows.
"This year we’re flipping these weekends around – with lots of high profile artists performing on the opening weekend, and the Festival closing with the much-loved ballet and orchestra on the second weekend,” Executive Producer Ashraf Johaardien said.
Johaardien said the change was necessary as a result of later than usual mid-year school holidays which were affecting scheduling.
The Festival’s artistic committee is in the final stages of curating a new cutting-edge core of works that will be at heart of this year’s Main programme. New executive producer, Ashraf Johaardien explains that his role is to bring the curated programme to life, and to build a solid programme around that, so the Festival celebrates a broad range of work that is the best that South African artists can offer.
“The Festival is a legacy project and I am really just the most recently appointed caretaker. In the team responsible for assembling and delivering this mammoth showcase of creativity, my job is to ensure that the loyal following the Festival has built up over the last four decades will find all the highlights and heavy hitters they have come to love and expect, while ensuring that we are also evolving and innovating the programme to grow our audience for the fu- ture,” Johaardien said.
The Department of Arts and Culture reaffirmed their funding commitment to the Festival last year with a threeyear contract valued at R17 million.
Standard Bank remain one of the National Arts Festival’s longest-standing sponsors and will be presenting a stellar line-up of jazz from both South Africa and abroad.
The host sponsor is the Eastern Cape Government. The Eastern Cape’s MEC for the Department of Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Dr Pemmy Majodina, said “The Eastern Cape is the proud home of this prestigious festival which is proving itself to be an artistic footprint in the province. We look forward to welcoming international and national artists and audiences descending on Rhini for yet another Eleven Days of Amazing.” she said.
Booking opens to the public on 2 May 2017.
For more info visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za