East London Guild Theatre

The East London Guild Theatre is a dynamic playhouse facility, producing and presenting performing arts in Buffalo City, Eastern Cape. The Guild Theatre has been home to some of South Africa’s leading artists and emerging local performers, as well as several international acts, since 1962.

Situated in the heart of East London, Eastern Cape, this well-loved theatre serves a community of over 800 000.

The theatre, which is fully equipped and has experienced staff, attracts a loyal and enthusiastic audience drawn from all segments of the population.

The Guild Theatre welcomes enquiries from artists performing in all disciplines.

UMTIZA ARTS FESTIVAL

In 2016 the Guild Theatre approached the East London Museum and the Ann Bryant Art Gallery with a view to staging an annual arts festival in order to highlight the cultural offerings of the city. It was acknowledged that arts and culture are a vital part of flourishing communities and have a role to play in growing local economies. Following this initial approach a steering committee was established in order to drive the project and an inaugural East London Arts Festival was held in July 2016. There was a minimal budget for this first festival but in spite of this it was relatively successful and led to plans being drawn up for this event to take place on an annual basis.

In 2017 the Festival was renamed the Umtiza Arts Festival after the Umtiza Listeriana – a tree only found in the Eastern Cape in the area between East London and King William’s Town.

The Guild Theatre and the East London Museum are situated in the same precinct, while the Ann Bryant Art Gallery stands a few blocks away, so it is relatively easy to create a festival atmosphere.

The Guild Theatre offers a wide variety of entertainment during the three days of the festival – jazz/classical/gospel music, comedy, cabaret, children’s shows, etc. – while the Ann Bryant Art Gallery mounts exhibitions featuring national artists as well as up-and-coming young local artists. The East London Museum offers free entrance to the Museum for the period of the festival as well as lectures on various topics.