28 June 2006

South Africa's National Arts Festival, a 10-day explosion of theatre, music, dance, art exhibitions, street performances and more, hits the Eastern Cape town of Grahamstown on 29 June.

Started in 1974 as a project of the Grahamstown Foundation, the National Arts Festival has evolved into the leading arts festival in southern Africa.

Over 120 000 supporters flock annually to the picturesque university town, home to Rhodes University, to experience one of the world's most diverse displays of creative talent, representing the full cross-section of South Africa's cultures.

The festival provides the opportunity for non-stop theatre, live music, a vibrant street and night life, buskers, walking tours, lectures and plenty of craft shopping.

The 2006 festival features an extensive line-up of South African and international events, mixing new talent with established stars and capturing the spirit of the moment for a broad spectrum of audiences.

The festival is sponsored by the Eastern Cape government, Standard Bank, the SABC, the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund and the National Arts Council.

Business & Arts South Africa has also made a special grant to the festival this year. The major portion goes to the artists on the festival fringe, the rest to festival newspaper Cue, the Youth Audience Development Project and the Art-Walk Meander Map.

For more information, see the related articles on the right - and visit the National Arts Festival website.

SouthAfrica.info reporter

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	National Arts Festival  Grahamstown

South African culture - Art, dance, literature, music, theatre - not forgetting food and wine - all the facets of our rich cultural kaleidoscope.