Thousands expected in Makhanda for ‘immersive’ National Arts Festival

The 52nd edition of SA’s flagship arts gathering will return to Makhanda next month with organisers promising a more immersive and collaborative experience for audiences.

The National Arts Festival, which runs from June 25 to July 5, is expected to bring more than 2,000 artists and thousands of visitors to the Eastern Cape town for 270-plus performances, exhibitions and productions.

Organisers said this year’s programme would place greater emphasis on audience participation and creative collaboration, with festivalgoers encouraged to engage more directly in the artistic process.

“This year’s programme responds to the nexus of creativity and technology, emerging systems and collaborative world-building as the global ground moves beneath our feet,” the festival’s artistic director, Rucera Seethal, said.

“We’ve blurred the lines between audience and artist to deepen the immersive, offline experience.”

Alongside the traditional Curated and Fringe programmes, this year’s festival will introduce creation laboratories where audience members can work alongside artists, while a free conversation stage will host public talks and discussions throughout the event.

More than 500 voices will fill the Guy Butler Theatre in Makhanda this month as the National Arts Festival’s flagship choral showcase, Masicule, returns for its 13th edition. The annual production, staged over two nights on April 19 and 20, has become a defining feature of the city’s cultural calendar, drawing together choirs from across Makhanda in a performance that blends scale, tradition and emerging talent. At its core, Masicule reflects the Eastern Cape’s long-standing choral tradition — one rooted in schools, churches and community life, where singing is both a cultural expression and a shared social experience. What sets the production apart is its mix of performers. School-going choristers share the stage with established artists, often performing alongside musicians they have grown up admiring. This year’s line-up includes singer and songwriter Zwai Bala, best known as a member of kwaito group TKZee and as part of The Bala Brothers. Over the years, Bala has worked across genres including soul, gospel and contemporary South African music, while maintaining close ties to choral performance. He will be joined by his sister, Pinky Bala, a vocalist and producer whose work bridges traditional and modern styles. Together, they are expected to bring a contemporary edge to a programme grounded in choral heritage. Festival organisers say the appeal of Masicule lies not only in its musical quality, but in the experience of hearing large groups of voices performing in unison — a sound that carries both emotional and cultural weight. The event also forms part of a broader effort by the National Arts Festival to support choral development in the region. In recent years, the festival has worked closely with local groups such as the Makhanda Kwantu Choir and introduced initiatives like the Makhanda Igwijo Competition. We’re committed to providing a platform to spotlight and grow choral voices in South Africa, and Masicule is an important project towards that recognition At last year’s festival, the Makhanda Combined group won the Igwijo competition and was later invited to record on an album by The Soil, offering young performers rare access to a professional studio environment. Festival CEO Monica Newton said Masicule remained central to efforts to grow choral music in South Africa. “We’re committed to providing a platform to spotlight and grow choral voices in South Africa, and Masicule is an important project towards that recognition,” she said. “This event gives young singers the chance to perform on a major stage alongside artists they’ve admired for years.” She said the production also highlighted the province’s contribution to the country’s music landscape. “The Eastern Cape has produced some of South Africa’s most extraordinary choral music, and Makhanda remains a stronghold of that legacy,” Newton said. For many of the young performers involved, the event is as much about exposure as it is about performance — offering a rare opportunity to step onto a professional stage. Tickets cost R65, with concessions available for students, scholars and pensioners, and bookings can be made through Webtickets. Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone Daily Dispatch

The organisers said several Fringe collectives would also establish creative hubs across Makhanda for the duration of the festival.

The Fringe programme has received support through a grant from the department of sports, arts and culture’s Mzansi Golden Economy initiative, allowing for workshops, networking opportunities and professional development events for participating artists.

The festival will again recognise standout Fringe productions through the Ovation Awards.

Music is expected to play a big role in this year’s programme, with a dedicated music venue being introduced at the Great Hall, while the Monument’s free daily Sundowner performances are set to return at 5pm each day.

Both festival weekends will also feature major headline music acts.

Film, literature and the visual arts will continue to feature strongly, with organisers introducing a curated film programme focused on “bold, visionary storytelling”.

The Eastern Cape Showcase is expected to spotlight local talent through theatre, jazz, dance, music and craft exhibitions, while the popular LitFest programme will bring writers and public thinkers into the festival programme.

The Eastern Cape sport, recreation, arts and culture department remains one of the festival’s core sponsors.

According to the South African Cultural Observatory, the festival generated R57m for Makhanda and R131.8m for the Eastern Cape economy in 2024.

The Black Power Station is also set to return with a programme centred on emerging and underground music and cultural conversations.

Festival organisers said the full programme would be announced on May 12, with ticket sales opening on May 20.

Among the highlights will be performances and exhibitions from this year’s Standard Bank Young Artist Awards recipients, including jazz artist Gabi Motuba, theatre-maker Jason Jacobs, dancer Lee-Ché Janeke, musician Ndumiso Manana and visual artist Bronwyn Katz.

The Village Green is again expected to host food stalls, crafts and family entertainment, including a free pop-up Playhouse Stage in partnership with the Playhouse Theatre and the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex.

Organisers said accommodation establishments in Makhanda were already experiencing strong bookings ahead of the festival.

Click here to join the Daily Dispatch’s WhatsApp channel and get the latest news delivered straight to your phone

Daily Dispatch