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Artreach Project takes National Arts Festival Heartbeat into Community

The National Arts Festival, Grahamstown recently released a report on the 2009 “Cacadu Artreach Project” indicating that, during the 2009 Festival, 351 Fringe performers from 23 productions volunteered their time to take the joy of the arts to those who, for whichever reasons, would not have been able to experience it.

The ArtReach Project is focused on taking the National Arts Festival “on the road”, and into prisons, hospitals and homes for the elderly during the time of the Festival. “ArtReach is a vital component of democratizing the arts, and making it accessible to everyone,” said Tony Lankester, National Arts Festival CEO.

Eleven Grahamstown institutions benefited from this year’s programme. This included the Juvenile Correctional Services, the General Correctional Centre, Settler’s Hospital Children’s – and Palliative Care Ward and West Wing, Temba TB clinic, Fort England Mental Hospital and Makanaskop Old Age home, amongst others.

Performers who volunteered their time during this year’s Festival included the Grahamstown Pantsula Dancers, the Cape Junior Ballet Company, the Goosebump A Cappella group from Potchefstoom and Mark Sampson. Productions that were taken into the community included Fringe dramas Behind the Walls, My Pride, the Segarone Cultural Showcase and Dance to the Rain Queen. The children were delighted by Pierrot MacClown and the Wacky Wizard Magic Show. Performer received an Artreach beanie and Festival T-shirt.

For the first time this year, the Festival welcomed learners from the Umzamomhle Special Day Care Centre in Alice. These special needs learners, all challenged by various degrees of physical or mental disabilities, attended a special production of the musical My Pride, presented by the Mahuma Arts Centre. The cast of My Pride are also all living with mental or physical disabilities, and the musical dealt with the stereotypes and preconceptions of disability in today’s society. The Umzamomhle students were also given a platform to perform in a Fringe venue, and had an interactive discussion with the audience afterwards. “The motivation, inspiration and encouragement the learners received provided the incentive they need to continue to face the challenges of living with disabilities,” said Ninnette Iliasov, Organisational Development Support Specialist at the Umzamomhle Centre.

The Correctional Services Department, who have been involved in the ArtReach Project since its inception in 2004, were allocated two performances each week of the Festival, and inmates reciprocated their appreciation by presenting the Fringe performers with music, dance and drama performances. The scathamiya singing group Amagugu Amatsha, who have been performing on the Fringe for the past two years, are a group of ex-convicts who were inspired by the ArtReach project when they were still in prison.

The Artreach Project acquired the services of a dedicated driver for the first time this year, and had access to a 42-seater as well as a 21-seater bus to transport the various performers to the venues when needed. The driver and busses were from the Alexandria High School, and the fees paid contributed to benefit a fund raising initiative for the school.

The ArtReach Project was made possible by partnering with the College of Transfiguration, who provided excellent liaisons with the various institutions, and additional sponsorship from the Cacadu District Municipality.

“I look forward to the ArtReach project being able to spread the Festival experience to an even greater community audience within the Cacadu District in 2010,” said Lankester.

The “15 days of amazing!” at the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown will run from 20 June – 4 July 2010.

The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Sunday Independent and M Net.

Ends

Note to editors

The National Arts Festival would like to thank the following Amaz!ng productions for taking part in our 2009 Cacadu Artreach Project. They have given freely of their time and talent to take the Festival to those who can’t come to us: Pantsula dancers Grahamstown; Beating on Grace; Bionic Breakers; Revel 8 Pantsula Dancers; Behind the Walls;  Segarona Cultural Showcase; Lerato; Save me Mama; If man were woman; African Beat Production; The truth about you; Wacky Wizard; Dance d-lites; Pumelela Dancers; Mahuma Arts Centre. 

About the National Arts Festival: The National Arts Festival now in its 36th year has proved its sustainability and has grown to be one of the leading arts festivals in southern Africa. Its objectives are to deliver excellence; encourage innovation and development in the arts by providing a platform for both established and emerging South African artists; create opportunities for collaboration with international artists; and build new audiences.

ISSUED BY  :                       THE FAMOUS IDEA TRADING CC
ON BEHALF OF  :                       NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL
CONTACT  :                       GILLY HEMPHILL
TEL   :                       021 886 4900
CELL   :                       082 820 8584
EMAIL   :                       gilly@thefamousidea.co.za