The Standard Bank Ovation Awards are designed to reward creative excellence and innovation on the Fringe, and are decided by a team of adjudicators made up of art critics, directors and others who, between them, see all the productions premiering on the Fringe. Each day, a new crop of winners will be announced – use... Read More
Makhanda might be the place to be for the duration of the National Arts Festival, but it’s also nestled in one of the most breathtaking and diverse provinces in South Africa. If you’re heading to this year’s Festival, plan a short Eastern Cape holiday into your trip. Home to some of the most striking… Read More
Over the last 50 years, exceptional, ground-breaking, thought-provoking productions, exhibitions and performances have been presented in the halls and on the stages of the National Arts Festival. The names of performers, producers, directors, artists and crew that can be found in our past programmes, in Fringe productions, within the Standard Bank Young Artist Award and… Read More
Music has always been an important part of the National Arts Festival programme. And in our 50th year, while the presentation has changed, its centrality on the Curated Programme remains the same. The Curated Music Programme brings a diverse collection of sounds and experiences. For the big weekend acts, a new generation of musical talents... Read More
2024 is a special year of celebration, commemorating not just 30 years of democracy in South Africa, but a half-century for the National Arts Festival, and 40 years of partnership between Standard Bank and the Festival. The six 2023 Standard Bank Young Artists will present their new works at the Festival this year, as they… Read More
As the National Arts Festival marks fifty years, many opportunities to reflect on who we are and where we’ve been can be found in the Curated Programme. From the Festival’s history and context, to important memorials, rememberances and commemorations, and a nostalgic production or two – all can be found under the theme History, Nostalgia… Read More
Since the first National Arts Festival in 1974, societal and technological changes have enabled us to be much more closely connected as a global arts community in 2024. Collaborators from the Continent are brought into particular focus on the Curated Programme in the Festival’s 50th year, as we cast an eye towards the future. 2024… Read More
As the National Arts Festival celebrates its 50th year in 2024, there are so many memories to share. However, setting the stage for the next 50 years is equally important. Commenting on this balancing act, Artistic Director Rucera Seethal says, “To encompass all that the Festival could and has ever been in a landmark year… Read More
While no two National Arts Festivals are ever the same, each offers the opportunity to engage with thought-provoking works that reflect a mirror on society. These experiences act as catalysts, allowing us to shift our views and behaviours and begin seeing societal change. Over the last 50 years, the Festival has seen many such groundbreaking… Read More
As the National Arts Festival commemorates fifty years, the Curated Programme reflects on universal themes that rang true at the founding of the Festival and all subsequent editions, and interrogates the urgency of distinct challenges particular to the here and now. What started as a showcase of some 60 works in an attempt to… Read More