2001 was the 18th, and final, year of the Standard Bank National Arts Festival. The bank continued its sponsorship of the festival in several more niche areas, but was no longer the named sponsor of the Festival as a whole. Standard Banks CEO wrote a farewell of sorts, commemorating the banks long partnership with the National Arts Festival and the Grahamstown Foundation:

“The long association with this Festival has been richly rewarding for the bank. It has enabled us to enjoy a strong association with philosophies and pursuits which have a positive bearing on our organisation. We have enjoyed being involved in developing the Festival into the premier event of its kind on the continent and one that has gained international recognition.  We hope that the effect of the reduction in our role from next year will be the opening up of the festival to a wider range of sponsors. We certainly intend to continue our association with the Festival as a niche sponsor of one of the major disciplines. We are anxious that the future of the festival should be secured. To this end we have retained a marketing specialist to ass1st’the Festival in its search for new supporters and to develop a new strategy for its future.

Standard Bank retains an acute awareness of the importance of the arts, and of continuing our contacts with them. This is evident from our ever-increasing support for, and involvement in, other artistic activities in the country and further afield. We continue to see the need to support and assist in the development of our artists.”