In August of 1994, the 1820 Settler’s Monument had been devastated by a fire which left much of the building seriously damaged. Extensive renovations were undertaken, including a redesign of the Guy Butler Theatre, and in May of 1996 the building was re-dedicated by then-President Nelson Mandela.

Parts of the old fire damaged walls were left in place, and can still be spotted by sharp-eyed Festival goers today! But the President’s visit was more than a moment of great pride for the Festival team. It represented the growing sense that the National Arts Festival had reached a point of national and international prestige, and was beginning to be considered seriously as an economic force in the local and the artistic communities.

At this years’ Festival, an extensive survey process was undertaken to try and measure the economic impact on the host city of Grahamstown (now Makhanda). With the data accumulated during the start of the Nineties, it had become clear to the Festival Committee that the decade was shaping up to be one of extensive growth. In 1985, 66 Main and 143 Fringe events took place. By 1990, this had grown to 77 Main and 191 Fringe events, and in 1995 it leaped to 184 Main and 344 Fringe events. As was happening in Edinburgh, Adelaide and Melbourne, it was becoming clear that the Festival, and the cultural sector more broadly, had the potential to become major economic drivers, and the Festival Committee was engaged in the hard task of generating further support and investment.