GRAHAMSTOWN, AN ARTISTIC DESTINATION

Have you always meant to go the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown, and never got there? Well now is your chance to plan a trip to the beautiful Eastern Cape and experience the best of South African arts and culture.

Frontier Country, the heartland of the Eastern Cape has much to offer visitors with its relatively untouched landscape, rolling bushveld-covered hills, breathtaking beaches, magnificent malaria-free game parks and of course the annual National Arts Festival which runs from 29 June to 8 July 2006.

Plan to stay in one of the new bed and breakfasts either in town or outlying farms or a game park on the perimeters of Grahamstown. For a vibrant and authentic cultural experience support the Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela’s KWAM e-Makana (My Place in Makana) poverty alleviation project and stay in a traditional home and enjoy steaming hot porridge on a crisp winter morning and the warmest hospitality you’ll find this side of the Indian Ocean.

Wherever you are and whatever the weather there is something special about wrapping up warmly and sitting huddled together in the theatres, drinking hot chocolate in one of the many cafés, browsing through the Village Green craft market or enjoying one of the free street theatre performances.

The 2006 Main Programme boasts an artistic feast, whether its theatre, music, jazz, dance, visual art or film. Whichever takes your fancy, there is something for everyone. Snippets include a John Kani, Winston Ntshona duo in Sizwe Banzi is Dead directed by Aubrey Sekhabi, a world première for Booitjie and the Oubaas, an Athol Fugard masterpiece featuring Marius Weyers and directed by Janice Honeyman. Carmen, presented by The Cape Town City Ballet, a Symphony Concert to commemorate Mozart’s birth 250 years ago, many wonderful exhibitions, a film festival, a children’s programme, a student’s theatre programme, and a fantastic jazz line-up.

Then there’s The Fringe, where no selection criteria are applied, where you can take a thrilling adventure ride and taste the tried and tested as well as the new multi-faceted events from emerging artists. Looking at the line-up for this year, you will not be disappointed.

Come to the National Arts Festival again if you have been before and if not, experience it for the first time. Golf lovers bring your clubs: competitions abound including one in nearby Alicedale on the newly designed Gary Player Signature Golf Course. There are tours on offer by foot, train and coach – discover the history and the spirits of the past!

St Andrew’s Prep School hosts the Children’s Arts Festival. Attendance is on a daily basis, though the youngsters can enroll as fulltime boarders for the duration. Workshops, crafts, dance, music, concerts and productions – you’ll have to drag them home at the end of the day!

On your way or as you leave why not enjoy some of the staggering natural assets on the rich tourism routes of Tsitsikamma, Kouga, Karoo Heartland, Wild Coast and Amatola Mountain Escape.

Share the excitement, feel the vibes, see the sights, hear the sounds, go to the theatres, come to the cabarets and expect the unexpected … be in Grahamstown between 29 June and 8 July 2006, the experience will blow you away.

Further details are available in the free Festival Booking Kit, which is available from selected Standard Bank branches and Computicket outlets nationwide or visit the Festival website. Booking is at Computicket.

The Eastern Cape Government, Standard Bank, the SABC, the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and the National Arts Council are the proud sponsors of the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown.


LitNet: 26 April 2006

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