New Arts Fest tickets system

TICKETING behemoth Computicket has been given the heave-ho by the Eastern Cape National Arts Festival (NAF) in favour of Via, an innovative cross-platform ticketing system developed to be owned and operated by arts festivals.

Via was designed by Red61, an Edinburgh Fringe arts and IT company chaired by former Rhodes drama student William Burdett-Coutts who, in 1974, performed at the first National Arts Festival's opening performance of King Lear.

NAF chief executive Tony Lankester said the smartphone, app-friendly system handled 2.5 million ticket sales at the world's largest arts event in Edinburgh.

Via and the NAF's new website went live in Grahamstown on May 9. Lankester said: "We had some glitches integrating the two systems, but they have been ironed out."

The NAF's website automatically designs a "my festival" schedule allotting time to eat, drink, shop and attend up to 20 shows, while Via has reduced service charges to artists from 6% of each of more than 200000 tickets sold annually, to 4%.

A complimentary ticket no longer attracted a R1.14 fee, Lankester said.

Red61 also agreed to a soft payment by taking 2% of every ticket sold, while the NAF will take the other 2% plus a standard 10% commission.

A "my festival app", which will allow festinos to buy tickets using smartphones, will be launched just before the 40th National Arts Festival, which runs from July 3-13 in Grahamstown. The NAF will also provide self-help swipe machines. - Mike Loewe