From the time of its inception, the curated programme has always been organised around a central theme, idea or artistic thread. With the guidance and vision of the Artistic Director, these central ideas guide the selection and curation of work, culminating in a programme that feels fresh and distinct each year, and reflects the artistic achievements of the past, contemporary creative innovations of the present, and visions for the future. 

In 1982, the central idea of the Curated programme was The Beginnings and Growth of 19th Century Romanticism. In particular, the music of Beethoven was a focal point, with renditions from Jeremy Menuhin, the Medici String Quartet, and the Cape Town Symphony Orchestra, amongst others. In keeping with the ethos of the Festival, the programme didn’t limit itself to an homage to the past, but was also interested in ways in which Romanticism could be interpreted in the present and future. As the Artistic Advisor, Roy Sargeant, wrote in his introductory note:

…the arts represent a true democracy because the “established” viewpoint is always finding readjustment through challenges from right and left and all over the place. The Arts would not find true representation in a Festival unless those challenges were contained in the Festival structure as well. So the guerrilla “artfare” of a variety of dramatic and visual statements together with a lively Fringe, challenges the central strategy of our Festival programme.

1982 was also the Centenary celebration of the founding of the Newspaper Press Union of South Africa. As the Union had also been established in the Grahamstown City Hall, the celebrations included a series of panel discussions at the Festival, interrogating the role of the press and the critic in the Arts. 

And to round off a busy day, festival goers could pop into the Festival Club on the Rhodes University Campus for an evening of live music, food and drinks, all for a covering fee of R2!