51 Years of The Festival 19741974 1974The inaugural Festival celebrated the official opening and dedication of the 1820 Settlers Monument Building. Operating as a living monument to the cultural heritage of all South Africans, the building contains numerous venues, from a spectacular 1000 seater auditorium to small meeting rooms, including a fully functional kitchen, banqueting... Read More
The National Arts Festival would not be possible without the commitment of our partners and sponsors. PRESENTING SPONSORS The Province of the Eastern Cape The Province of the Eastern Cape and the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture has been a valued sponsor of the National Arts Festival since 2002. Our partnership... Read More
Be Part of the Festival The National Arts Festival is Africa’s most significant annual cultural event, offering a robust platform for both established and emerging artists across all disciplines. Participating provides unparalleled visibility, critical engagement, and access to industry networks. There are a number of clear paths to participation in the Festival Programme. The Curated... Read More
Experience The Festival Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) is a beautiful, historic town in South Africa’s Eastern Cape — and every winter, it transforms into the vibrant heart of the arts world. For eleven days each year, its streets, theatres, halls and open spaces become alive with creativity as the National Arts Festival unfolds. Artists and audiences... Read More
Projects of the National Arts Festival The National Arts Festival is produced by the National Arts Festival company, which also produces a host of festivals, events and programmes throughout the year. These projects include: The National Arts Festival Founded in 1974, the National Arts Festival was the founding project of the National Arts Festival company.... Read More
The Monument houses multiple venues including the spectacular 1000-seat Guy Butler Theatre and serves as the festival’s operational heart. It’s also home to the Grahamstown Foundation, National Schools Festival, English Olympiad and other year-round programmes. The Monument was born out of a quest for cultural preservation, The 1820’s Settler’s Foundation settled on the creation of… Read More
The Standard Bank Young Artist Awards The Young Artist Awards, sponsored by Standard Bank, are presented by the National Arts Festival Artistic Committee to emerging, relatively young South African artists who have demonstrated exceptional ability in their chosen fields but who have not yet achieved national exposure and acclaim. Festival Committee members, fellow artists and... Read More
Applying to Participate in the National Arts Festival Every year, the National Arts Festival stages work across theatre, dance, comedy, performance art, poetry, visual art, music and more on a number of platforms. There are a number of clear paths to participation in the Festival across various elements: Curated Programme The Curated Programme includes works... Read More
The Festival Fringe The Fringe Programme is an uncurated platform open to artists from anywhere in the world to present work across any genre, language, format or content. Fringe artists pay a registration fee, and bring the work to the Festival by their own means. The National Arts Festival Fringe is characterised by a diverse... Read More