Art Festivals in South Africa

South Africa might be readying itself for the FIFA World Cup™ but those looking for something a bit artier also have a lot to look forward to this year. With these 3 local art festivals on the horizon, I think its safe to say that there's a little something for everyone!

The annual Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunsfees, otherwise known as the ABSA KKNK, is scheduled for the first week in April and, after looking at the line-up, promises to be jam packed with the best of local talent.

Image courtesy of the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunsfees

While the festival was originally a celebration of all things Afrikaans, from theatre to dance and music, the programme still offers loads to those who don't understand Afrikaans. Now in its 16^th year, the ABSA KKNK has mushroomed into an eclectic blend of all things local, and now appeals to a much broader audience, giving everyone a chance to experience local art and Afrikaans culture.

One of the hidden gems of South Africa's creative world is the Afrika Burn Festival. Based on the Burning Man Project held in Nevada, the South African equivalent offers everyone a chance to exhibit and be a part of the communal creative force.

The driving principals are community and artistic expression, and those from all walks of life are invited to participate in the creation and exhibition of any form of art and expression, from large installations (that are often set alight at the end of the festival) to performance pieces.

Image by Monique Shiess

It's a festival of camping, expression and community, held on a private farm in a remote area about 3 hours outside Cape Town and runs from Thursday 22 to Tuesday 27 April.

The small Eastern Cape university town of Grahamstown explodes annually into a colourful collection of visual and performing arts. The Grahamstown National Arts Festival will take place between the 20 June and the 4 July this year and promises to be as spectacular as ever. From the buzzing market, street performers, art exhibitions, film screenings and performance art - it's shaping up to be amazing!

Image by Sean William Messham

While the main festival is where you will find the bigger names in the art world, the Fringe Festival is where you can discover up-and-coming artists and lesser known productions. There's also a Jazz Festival showcasing the best in local jazz musicians.

With so much on the cards this year, South Africa really does seem like the place to be!

2 Comments

Blog Rating:

Alert me by email when a new comment is added

Bookmark this

Add a comment

Recent Comments

• 1. I have such great memories of the Grahamstown Festival - Grahamstown was my university town, and it used to come alive with art ; wierd and wonderful performances ; live music ; markets and parties during the 2 weeks of the Festival.
  

  
  emmagass

  March 9th, 2010 at 9:46am

  

  Report as inappropriate

• 2. Having grown up in Grahamstown the Festival was a time of year that we all looked forward to. The shows & art really does showcase some of South Africa's best! I would suggest that anyone wanting to visit books early though as accommodation is always an issue.... oh yes and best advice - pack for summer, autumn, winter and spring - thats what you can experience in one day! Or just make sure your wallet has enough in it - you are sure to walk away with some bizarre item of clothing that in Grahamstown during the festival looks great but your friends and family disown you when you wear it at home! Its huge fun - cant wait to visit again
  
  

  
  Lauren

  March 10th, 2010 at 5:21pm

  

  Report as inappropriate