Festival 2020 won’t be cancelled, but it will be different ‒ CEO

The 2020 National Arts Festival will go down in history as its first ever virtual edition, the organisation announced this week. Staging a virtual Festival is the organisers’ response to Covid-19. In a media statement National Arts Festival CEO Monica Newton said, based on the ban on major events, more than 100 people could not congregate anywhere; the travel ban and recommendations meant artists and visitors can’t get to Makhanda.

“We don’t want to contribute to the spread of the virus and fully understand that this is a time for isolation,” Newton said.

“That’s not what we do; we create experiences and celebrate the arts. So, after more thinking, listening, reading, arguing and talking, we’ve come up with a plan… we’ve decided to do something bold, and something we have never done before. From 25 June to 5 July 2020, the National Arts Festival will be going completely virtual for the full 11 days of amazing.”

Going virtual would mean the Festival could continue to support artists and the arts in 2020, by presenting work within a digital space .

“This way we can share some magic and hope with those who may still be confined to their homes. An opportunity to connect when we are being asked to distance ourselves from one another.”

Millions of people across South Africa and the world will be cut off from each other in completely unprecedented ways; unable to go to church, school or work, or socialise outside of their immediate family. This is absolutely the responsible thing to do to contain the uncontrolled spread of COVID-19, but as social beings, it is going to chip away a little bit of our souls every day the bans are in force.

Newton said the Festival was making the decision now rather than waiting to see what would happen.

“The reality is that we can’t ask artists to prepare for a festival that may or may not go ahead; we can’t ask our supporters to make their plans, book their accommodation and transport, without the certainty that it will happen; and we can’t ask our service providers to stand at the ready if it may all come to nothing. The 2020 National Arts Festival will go down in our history as the first ever virtual edition.

“We will be engaging directly all artists and traders who are currently registered to participate in the 2020 Festival.”

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