National Arts Festival 2022: Here’s a taste of what to expect

The 48th annual National Arts Festival is set to take place from 23 June to 3 July. This year’s festival will be a celebratory homecoming for audiences as the arts community resumes its live format with exciting in-person art experiences. 

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NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL RE-EMERGES WITH BROAD OFFERING 

The National Arts Festival will re-emerge with a carefully focused and curated experience enhanced by an irrepressible burst of Fringe spontaneity and creativity where experimentation, expression and visibility will contribute to the local arts ecosystem. 

The festival’s artistic director, Rucera Seethal, says there is a broad offering this year. 

“We’ve tightly curated the programme, but also catered for everyone and included some surprised and provocations too.” 

WHAT TO EXPECT 

Arts enthusiasts can expect dance, theatre, visual arts, music, film, illusion and edgy new cross-genre and interactive arts experiences at the National Arts Festival. 

There will also be a residency programme that brings artists to Makhanda, Eastern Cape, to work on collaborative projects and engage with the town’s local arts scene. An engaging schools festival will reignite the festival’s long-time role as a winter destination for young people.

The popular Sundowner Concert will be staged daily at the Monument and the Village Green will be back in action serving delicious food for festival-goers. 

TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE 2019 CONCERTS HERE 

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A SNEAK PEEK OF THE 2022 PROGRAMME 

The works of the 2021 Standard Bank Young Artists will bring fresh perspectives from some of the country’s most innovative creatives. 

Buhlebenzwe Siwani (Visual Art), Thando Doni (Theatre) Cara Stacey (Music) Vuma Levini (Jazz) Gavin Krastin (Performance Art) and Kristi-Leigh Gresse (Dance) all form part of Standard Bank’s Young Artists of 2021. 

Veteran actor, Sello Maake Ka-Ncube will be staging Bloke & His American Bantu. The play, written by Siphiwo Mahala is a two-man play that will be performed by Anele Nene andd Josias Dos Moleele. 

The Eastern Cape Philharmonic Orchestra will present Homeland, while Xolisile Bongwana will be performing a dance piece titled Mnquma. 

Wezile Harmans’, We Regret to Inform You, will explore South Africa’s increasing unemployment rate. 

The full programme and tickets to the National Arts Festival will be available on Tuesday 3 May.