News Archives - National Arts Festival

Digital 2020 Standard Bank Ovation Awards Ceremony Recognises Artistic Excellence

The Virtual National Arts Festival has ended with an event to celebrate the winners of the 2020 Standard Bank Ovation Awards and recognise the artists who stepped onto the brand new vFringe online stage. The vNAF2020, which took place from 25 June to 31 July, showed the resilience and innovation of the arts community, who set... Read More

Published on August 1, 2020

Lift off for the first online National Arts Festival

The National Arts Festival has made history today with the launch of the first ever digital iteration of South Africa’s major arts festival. The 46th National Arts Festival was unable to go ahead as a live event when COVID-19 shuttered theatres, cultural spaces and festivals globally. Rather than cancel the event, the organisation decided to... Read More

Published on June 25, 2020

Announcing more shows for adventurous audiences

As the 25 June launch of South Africa’s first Virtual National Arts Festival draws rapidly nearer, the Festival has released further details about additional shows to expect on the diverse and adventurous programme that will see the Festival coming into the homes of audiences for the first time ever. National Arts Festival Artistic Director Rucera... Read More

Published on June 17, 2020

Creativate: Taking a glimpse into future of the arts

The Creativate Digital Arts Festival, presented by Standard Bank, is back for its third year and continues to provide a digital playground for adventurous artists and curious audiences at the National Arts Festival. This year, Creativate forms a captivating thread through the Virtual National Arts programme with a collection of online interactive digital art workshops,... Read More

Published on June 12, 2020

Get ready for the ultimate online celebration of SA arts

Happening entirely online from 25 June-5 July 2020, the Virtual National Arts Festival will be remembered for marking the historic year the 46-year-old Festival went online due to Covid-19 restrictions. The Festival will be presenting work that speaks to these unique times, and will feature the results of many new collaborations, experimental forms and new... Read More

Published on June 10, 2020

How to… buy tickets and watch shows

We’re doing something brand-new this year by holding the National Arts Festival online. But this has left many of our Festival fans scratching their heads: just how am I going to experience vNAF? Here’s a short guide to the Festival, and an introductory ‘How To…’ How to… buy tickets and watch shows There’s lots to... Read More

Published on June 9, 2020

Webinar: How to participate in the new Virtual Green

Facilitated by Selina White, Village Green Director for the past 21 years, this webinar will introduce the 2020 Virtual Green, share a sneak peek of the new website and explain the process of submitting work. Crafters and other experts will talk about getting the most out of having an online presence. For traders, creators, crafters,... Read More

Published on June 8, 2020

Browse Festival arts and crafts from your sofa

The Village Green, the buzzing fair at the heart of the National Arts Festival, will this year become an online treasure trove of crafted wares and savvy finds. “We decided that the show must go on this year, which has meant that the Festival has pivoted into the digital realm,” says Monica Newton, the CEO... Read More

Published on June 4, 2020

Showering love on local craft and design

Many of the traders who usually fill the chilly winter air in Makhanda with exuberant sales chatter and infectious warmth, will be strutting their stuff in digital stalls at the National Arts Festival’s Virtual Green in 2020. Marking its trajectory into this new territory, the Festival has partnered with the Craft and Design Institute (CDI)... Read More

Published on June 3, 2020

Pieces fall into place for reimagined Festival

The Virtual National Arts Festival programme is slowly starting to emerge – it has been cocooned away as our Curatorial Committee got to grips with reimagining what this festival could become. Now, just short of 30 days before ‘lift-off’, we are starting to appreciate its complexities. The Festival’s website is readying itself to become a... Read More

Published on May 29, 2020