The National Arts Festival 2022 has added some exciting artists to its lineup in the form of Amanda Black, Ringo Madlingozi and Bongeziwe Mabandla as we get ready to go live after a long hiatus due to the pandemic.
After two years of offering the country’s oldest and most diverse arts festival online, the arts community is looking forward to a real-life reunion and the annual winter pilgrimage to the Eastern Cape.
CEO Monica Newton says the Festival is looking forward to welcoming the return of the artists and visitors, as is the town of Makhanda, which has missed the R90 million annual boost the Festival has brought to its economy in years gone by.
“A lot has changed in the years since our last live Festival in 2019 and we are mindful that the economic situation in the country may have an impact on the number of visitors to this year’s Festival. We are heartened by the enthusiasm for the live Festival and bookings are starting to come in fast. One of the realities we, along with the performing arts community, the face is the 50% capacity rule in our venues. This will mean fewer seats and fewer tickets as well as less revenue for artists and the Festival. It’s going to take a while for us all to get back to ‘normal’ but we are making a strong start,” says Newton.
I addition to the 50% capacity COVID-19 legislation, the Festival has been designed to allow for more time between shows to ensure mask-wearing and sanitising protocols are followed precisely. For the first time, ticketing will be paperless and all tickets bought on the Festival’s online ticket platform can be displayed on a phone or tablet to gain entry.
Festival favourites like the Village Green will be a lively meet-up space with plenty of crafters and food stalls, the popular free Sundowner Concerts will be a daily fixture. The Monument will be abuzz with shows, concerts and exhibitions as well as restaurants and kiosks. The recent upgrades, supported by the National Arts Council administered Presidential Employment Stimulus Programme, have transformed the Power Station venue into a permanent home for creatives and performers. During the Festival, a selection of exhibitions will be happening at the new creative and entrepreneurial hub.
In 2020 and 202, the Festival found a new online audience who supported from around the world. Those who won’t be making the trip this year will still be able to enjoy an online programme again with some of our shows live-streamed from Makhanda as well as online shows created for virtual audiences to enjoy.
For more information about what to expect, what to see and how to book for the 48th National Arts Festival, visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
