R17m boost ensures continuity of festival

THE National Arts Festival in Grahamstown received a major boost yesterday when the national Department of Arts and Culture committed a total of R17-million to the event over a three-year period.

The money will be injected this year until 2018 and will be deposited in three amounts – R7-million this year, R5-million next year and R5-million in 2018.

Arts and Culture spokesman Mthuthuzeli Nqumba said: “The National Arts Festival is one of many annual festivals supported through the MGE [Mzansi Golden Economy] Strategy across the country, which includes both small and large-scale festivals.

“These include the Mangaung Cultural Festival (Macufe) in Free State, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, Diamonds and Dorings Festival in the Northern Cape, Marula Festival in Limpopo, and Buyela’khaya Festival in the Eastern Cape, among others.”

The National Arts Festival’s opening ceremony is to be held today at the Guy Butler Theatre, also known as the Settlers Monument.

Announcing the funding, Arts and Culture Deputy Minister Rejoice Mabudafhasi said the Grahamstown festival, which is in its 42nd year, continued to draw and develop audiences, so creating a number of job opportunities and building markets for the arts, culture and heritage sector.

“[It] brings together artists and audiences from different backgrounds and cultures,” Mabudafhasi said.

“The sector has always produced prophetic voices, pioneers, visionaries and independent thinkers who have been at the forefront of articulating the aspirations and hopes for a united country and free society.”

Festival chief executive officer Tony Lankester expressed gratitude for the boost in funding from the department.

“We are very grateful for the partnership – it goes beyond just financial support,” Lankester said.

“It demonstrates for us the value this event has, not just for the province but also on a national platform.

“The department refers to it as a national flagship event.

“It’s great that we host such an event in the Eastern Cape and we can be proud that a home-grown event occupies this space.”

He said the partnership also acted as a form of assurance and security for the continuity of the festival.

“This is a renewal of a previous agreement we had with the department,” he said.

“We previously had one for 2013, 2014 and 2015.

“This gives us some security, as it means we can plan long term now that we have a contract with them.

“We can invest and create more opportunities for everyone involved.”

Lankester said the festival contributed R340-million to the GDP of the province.