Arts Festival

The 52nd edition of SA’s flagship arts gathering will return to Makhanda next month with organisers promising a more immersive and collaborative experience for audiences.

The inaugural Montreux Franschhoek Jazz Festival made a striking debut in the heart of the Cape Winelands at the weekend, delivering a celebration that blended global excellence with distinctly South African soul.

Grammy-winning producer and musician Zakes Bantwini has officially confirmed his much-anticipated new album, 'Echoes of Botanical Gardens', is complete.

A music industry awareness tour is being rolled out, aimed at inspiring and educating young creatives while showcasing local talent across various Eastern Cape communities.

Local artists are increasingly shaping the sound and scale of African festival culture, as homegrown genres such as amapiano and house dominate stages far beyond the continent.

After 11 days, 300 shows, 43 venues and thousands of visitors who laughed, wept, danced, shopped, ate, drank and walked through the dusty streets of Makhanda; the 50th National Arts Festival has ended.

Eskom has added 800MW of power to the national grid with the addition of a new generating unit at Kusile power station.

The National Arts Festival is getting its mojo back. After the pandemic knocked the premier national and international arts event into near extinction, the 10-day-Makhanda event has seen a slow and steady revival of support from around the country.  From attending the opening weekend to returning for the final weekend, the shift was palpable.

This play is not for everyone. It asks you to question, where are you from?

Having pursued a musical journey from Umlazi in KwaZulu-Natal to New York and back,saxophonist Linda Sikhakane’s compositions and performances reflect a global jazz outlook that is firmly rooted in the local.

SIVENATHI GOSA Incorporating classical ballet with contemporary dance, along with opera and African instrumental sounds, Hatched Ensemble brought the appreciative audience at The Guy Butler Auditorium to their feet on Monday. The insightful and thought-provoking production by choreographer and dancer, Mamela Nyamza, revisits her solo work, Hatched, which she first performed in 2007.

In the dungeon of the Monument building, a circular room opens up like a cave,. Hanging on the cement walls are mermaids, myths and mystery. The Standard Bank winner for visual art, Lady Skollie (Laura Windvogel-Molifi) is finding her own method of preserving lost ancestral history in her exhibition Groot Gat.

Theatremaker, poet and artist Koleka Putuma is reaching into South African memory like mushroom mycelium.Standard Bank’s inaugural young artist winner for poetry explores the healing properties of natural psychedelic substances in her multimedia installation, Imvuselelo (revival), at the Monument Gallery at the National Arts Festival.

Black bodies sway on stage, a crown of rope connected to the rafters appears like a noose around their necks. A deep rumble, waves of white noise and projections of clouds fill the space.

Take a bite of this juicy booty!Drag performer Pichi Keane (pronounced Peachy-Keen) was one of the first artisans to step onto the National Arts Festival stage on Thursday morning for her solo extravaganza: Ripe ’n Ready at the Monument.