Artists and performers from SA and beyond are invited to submit “bold, exciting and interesting” work for a slot on the Fringe programme of the 2019 National Arts Festival (NAF).
There is a 10% discount for applicants who meet the festival’s early bird deadline of December 31.
2019 will be the 45th year of what is considered SA’s biggest and most diverse arts showcase, which will take place from June 27 to July 7 in Makhanda (previously Grahamstown).
“In 2019, the National Arts Festival Fringe will be focusing on accessibility and we invite all the artists, producers and theatre organisations that produce or work with artists living with any disability to apply,” NAF Fringe manager Zikhona Monaheng said.
“As an open-access festival our aim is to create more opportunities and encourage artists living with disability to showcase their talent.
"The festival office will waive the application fee for these production companies. However, there are a limited number of performance spaces available.”
Monaheng said the NAF was looking for “bold, exciting and interesting work – everything from experimental, genre-busting innovation to pure entertainment, family theatre and crowd-pleasing shows”. “The Fringe was always unexpected, even unpredictable,” she said.
“We know that some of the shows are going to do well with audiences, but every year there are these wonderful surprises ... It’s always exciting to watch these plays come to life through the audience’s reaction.”
Fringe festivals across the world are marked by their independence, freedom of expression and experimental content – and the NAF Fringe is no different.
Many well-known artists return with successfully travelled work, revisiting and extending it; other artists have been performing on the Fringe for decades, bringing crowd-pleasing favourites.
International artists, producers and independent theatre makers both perform and scout at the NAF, often striking up collaborative ideas when they are at the Fringe.
Artists, musicians, singers, dancers, performance artists and other creatives can submit applications online at www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
An application fee of R3,000 is payable but artists who beat the December 31 early bird deadline, will receive 10% off. Applications close on January 21 2019.
The NAF programme comprises largely of a curated and selected Main programme and an open, unsolicited Fringe.
These two key elements are supported by numerous special programmes, projects and performances that make up a festival featuring hundreds of shows and thousands of performances.
Further information from the NAF website: www.nationalartsfestival.co.za