Thebe Mabanga
The 10th Arts Alive International Festival kicks off this weekend in Johannesburg to induce a frenzy that will leave Gauteng citizens reeling with a month long hangover.
At the festival press launch in mid-July two of the many events unveiled as being aligned to the festival were the Joy of Jazz Festival this weekend and the Black August hip-hop tour taking place this weekend and the next in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The association with both events has since been severed but they will continue as planned.
Festival coordinator Reggy Zikalala says the organisers have “outsourced” event managers in varying areas of speciality and allocated funding to stage specific events. Festival spokesperson Charles Mabaso estimates 60% of the events are festival commissioned. These include the R486000 carnival billed for this weekend in Johannesburg. Free concerts are taking place in Johannesburg, Alexandra, Rabie Ridge, Orange Farm, and Mofolo Park.
The build-up to the festival has been criticised for its poor marketing, with poor quality, ill-timed display posters. Mabaso agrees. “We have been late with the marketing but that is because we have had to negotiate various partnerships [to stage events]. We have learned from these mistakes and the posters that are coming up will improve.”
The organisers have been criticised for announcing artists that had not confirmed their participation. Mabaso says “all the artists who will be performing throughout the month have been signed and sealed”.
The festival theme is Afrika oa kgalema Tswana for “Africa reveres itself”. It is mainly an acknowledgement that the event has thrived over the past nine years and “sounding a warning that Africa has arrived” says Zikalala.
A glance at the programme, though, reveals a lack of superstars from the continent, apart from virtual resident Oliver Mtukudzi. Zikalala cites time constraints for the inability to secure leading continental acts. He took up his post in June and some aspects of festival organisation were ironed out only last week.
Highlights of the festival range from the annual Jazz at the Lake (September 9 at Zoo Lake) and the Holland-based dance outfit Scapino to Roaring Voices, a tribute concert where Joe Nina, Jeff Maluleke, Avanti and The Lion King star Faca Khulu will perform songs by legends like Babsy Mlangeni, Mpharanyana Radebe, Steve Kenana and Lazarus Kgagudi.
If they pull it off as envisaged, it will be an unforgettable carnival.