The National Arts Festival, in the form that Makhanda residents know best, it is back – live and on stage – in July 2021. But that’s just part of what this town’s biggest annual event is offering in its 48th edition.
The National Arts Festival Experience will revive its live 11 day National Arts Festival in its home city of Makhanda from 8-18 July (Makhanda Live) and stage a National Arts Festival Online which will be entirely online in July. And, for the first time ever, the National Arts Festival will present a series of shows, in partnership with Standard Bank, in cities across the country. The collection, called Standard Bank Presents, will give audiences across the country a taste of what the Festival has to offer from 17 June to 4 July 2021.
“The National Arts Festival has adapted its Festival experience to bring the arts to audiences where they are and at a time when we still need to be very careful about where we go and what we do to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus,” National Arts Festival CEO, Monica Newton, said.
“The gathering of artists is an important catalyst to reignite the industry and the Festival remains committed to presenting the best and safest possible space for artists and audiences to come together, experience and appreciate the arts.
“We are curating a tighter, more intimate Festival in Makhanda and we do have to work very carefully around the Covid protocols, but we think it will be an opportunity to feel the pulse of a Covid-impacted arts world and to hear artists speak from live stages. We invite audiences to come and share this important moment with us.”
The NAF successfully transitioned into an online festival in 2020, drawing a global audience of over 83 000 visitors and breaking new ground for the South African arts sector. “Online experiences are here to stay and we are excited about further integrating this element into our offering,” said Newton.
The National Arts Festival’s decision to present work in other cities was founded on the realisation that some audiences may not be willing or able to travel far and that many artists would struggle to afford the costs of travel to Makhanda as a result of the impact of the pandemic.
“Our new showcase, Standard Bank Presents will give people a taste of the National Arts Festival and a window into what our artists are thinking and doing. As we adapt to our ever-shifting Covid reality, we need to try new things and imagine new ways for the arts to speak to audiences,” says Newton.
Newton said the Festival was realistic about the capacity of audiences and artists to travel to the Festival in Makhanda, but pointed out that the Festival’s Eastern Cape visitors accounted for 55% of their pre-Covid attendance figures in 2019*. This points to the likelihood of the live event in Makhanda largely attracting day-trippers and weekenders, and of course the Super Fans: the ardent group of festival-goers who have already signalled their intention to support the live performances, no matter where they are.
The 2021 National Arts Festival Experience’s Makhanda Live will showcase the works of the 2020 Standard Bank Young Artists and will also be the stage on which the 2021 Standard Bank Young Artists will be announced. The Standard Bank Jazz Festival will take place live and online, reaching a jazz-loving audience locally, on the Continent and across the world.
Newton acknowledged that long-standing partnerships were key to the Festival’s adaptability, “We are very lucky to have the support of the Eastern Cape Government and Standard Bank, Sarah Baartman Municipality, Distell and Business and Arts South Africa who are willing to evolve with us to ensure that the Festival continues to be a showcase of the arts, no matter the circumstances.”
Important Dates
- The programme for the Festival will be announced on 7 June 2021.
- The Standard Bank Presents showcase takes place in various cities from 17 June-4 July.
- The National Arts Fesival’s Makhanda Live will take place in Makhanda from 8-18 July 2021.
- The Online National Arts Festival takes place during the month of August on the Festival website https://nationalartsfestival.
co.za
- Source of supporting figures: The Social, Cultural and Economic Impact of the 2019 National Arts Festival by J. Snowball and G. Antrobus
