National Arts Festival cements ties with Mandela Bay Development Agency

01 Feb 2016 | Admin Author

The National Arts Festival has signed a three-year partnership agreement with the Mandela Bay Development Agency that seeks to benefit artists from the Port Elizabeth area.

In terms of the agreement Nelson Mandela Bay artists participating in this year's festival will be offered increased visibility and capacity building opportunities.

The partnership could also see fringe festival productions being staged at the recently revamped Little Theatre at the Athenaeum.

The Festival's artistic director, Ishmail Mohammad, says through the agreement local artists will be more strategically positioned at the National Arts Festival each year.

"There's a wonderful development in terms of cultural work that's happening in Port Elizabeth with the Athenaeum, the Little Theatre (and) the Port Elizabeth Opera House and a number of art galleries of well," he said.

"A number of Arts Festival visitors and artists come to Grahamstown via Port Elizabeth and we believe this kind of partnership will create an opportunity for our artists and our visitors to see Port Elizabeth as an extension of an artistic experience."

Meanwhile, the Mandela Bay Development Agency says the signing of the agreement marks the culmination of a three year programme of investment in the Arts.

MBDA planning and development manager, Dorelle Sapere, says they need to bring people into the spaces that had been upgraded as part of the urban renewal programme.

She says there's no better way than through the creative industries and arts and culture.

"We renovated this building (Athenaeum) for that purpose and so its very important to us that we actually find ways to fill this space and the city's spaces with young musicians, young performers and young artists," Sapere said.

"Hence we invested in a three year public art programme and capacity building."

(Caption: Young violinists performing at the signing of the partnership agreement between the National Arts Festival and the Mandela Bay Development Agency on Wednesday)