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 will also mark the launch of the groundbreaking multi-national dance development programme Third Space, which sees the National Arts Festival partner with long-term collaborators The French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, producing three new dance works. 

Renowned choreographers Panaibra Canda (Mozambique), Lilian Maximillian Nabaggala (Uganda) and Janeth Mulapha (Mozambique) and scenographers Elton Rafael David (Mozambique), Arafa C. Hamadi (Tanzania) and Jenni-Lee Crewe (South Africa) have been invited to work with dancers from three local community arts centres (Gompo Arts Centre, Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative and Kubu Collective at Market Community Theatre) to co-create an original dance work that will premiere in their host communities before travelling to the National Arts Festival in June 2024. 

Creating future connections, a group of internationally established African festival and theatre directors have been invited to attend the National Arts Festival, with the express intention of seeing new work, meeting artists, developing together and sharing programmes in the future.   

There’s so much more on the programme this year, which takes place from 20 to 30 June 2024 in Makhanda. Tickets go on sale on 29 April. For more from the National Arts Festival’s Curated Programme, click here.

There’s always something innovative and unexpected on the Fringe, experimental works on the Arena Programme, or a magical experience awaiting on our Family Programme.