A highlight on South Africa’s cultural calendar, the National Arts Festival has been an annual multi-disciplinary arts festival, taking place in its Eastern Cape hometown of Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), South Africa, since its inception in 1974.
The NAF was a critical space for protest during apartheid; has hosted numerous groundbreaking artists; survived the pandemic by going digital; and back to live again, and is evolving and shaping the arts for half a century. The National Arts Festival is defined by the idea that the arts help us understand our world, connect within it, find meaning and drive transformation.
The Festival will take place from 26 June to 6 July 2025.
Online Tickets sales will open in early May 2025 with in-person sales in Makhanda available from early June
We no longer produce a printed programme. All information regarding Performances and Exhibitions will be available on the website
Water resources across the Eastern Cape are under severe pressure. The water supply to Makhanda has stabilised but we encourage visitors to the city to use this precious resource sparingly and speak to your accommodation provider about what measures they have in place to manage water on their premises
Loadshedding will be a reality over the Festival period. All Festival venues will have an alternative power supply
1996 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON): Feb 3, 1996 – South Africa hosted and won their first major continental soccer tournament, just two years after the first democratic elections, a moment that further boosted national pride and unity.
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