The 51st National Arts Festival is in production and as of 1 October, artists have a window to apply to be part of the multidisciplinary showcase through the 2025 Festival’s Fringe programme.
The Fringe drives renewal and diversity in the arts, not only at the National Arts Festival but as part of an ecosystem of independent works that travel the country’s theatres and often go beyond South Africa onto international stages. It’s also a platform for artists to test new work and generate income from ticket sales.
This year, the National Arts Festival has shifted the window for applications for the Fringe to a shorter time frame and earlier date to allow artists, and the Festival, to plan further in advance. Applications for the Fringe opened on 1 October and close on 29 November 2024. All applications are submitted online via the submission form which can be found on the National Arts Festival’s website www.nationalartsfestival.co.za.
Applications for work across all genres, including film, can be registered here and visual artists may make use of the separate form, which is also on the website, that deals with the specific requirements of visual arts works.
The Fringe is an open access ground for testing new work, exploring peers’ work from around the country and exposing works to producers and programmers. It’s also a platform for crowd-pleasing comedy, music and magic. It’s where Festival-goers often go for fun and many of the repeat performers on the Fringe produce entertaining works that diverse audiences and families enjoy.
“Reflecting on the last 50 years of the National Arts Festival, as we have this year, really brought home the importance of the Fringe to shape and extend the Festival, but it’s also a vital space for the future of the country’s creativity,” says Nqobile Mbhele, National Arts Festival’s Associate Producer.
Entries close at midnight SAST on 29 November 2024 and artists will be notified by the end of January 2025 as to whether their works can be accommodated at the 2025 National Arts Festival which will be hosted in Makhanda from 26 June to 6 July.