2018 Arts Alive Programme kicks off

The 31st of August 2018, marks the City of Johannesburgs’ launch of the 2018 Arts Alive International Festival.
This is the 26th edition of the festival, which has marked itself as one of the highlights in the City’s calendar.
The Arts, Culture and Heritage Directorate of the City has partnered with various organisations and institutions in order to expand the service offering for the diverse people of the City. Partners for the festival include the Gauteng Department of Economic Development, Arts, Culture and Recreation, Hillbrow Outreach Foundation, Iris Dawn Parker Productions, Heritage Unity Festival NPC, the Global Dance Supreme as well as well as C-Major Productions.
“The City is also delighted to announce a partnership with Moshito, one of the premiere music initiations in the City. This will go a long way in facilitating business to business links in the music sector – aligned to one of our priorities to grow the economy of the City. Arts alive gives us an opportunity to shake off the winter blues, and jump into Heritage Month – a month that gives a platform for the recognition and expression of the different aspects of our country’s diverse culture – through creative expression like music, dance and drama, as well as through the commemoration of our rich historical inheritance,” said Cllr Nonhlanhla Sifumba, MMC for Community Development Added to this, there is no better place to host the Festival than in the City of Johannesburg. Johannesburg has for decades been a ‘melting pot’ of culture and tradition – a political hub, and the economic centre of the country. Migrants come to the City from all over the country, the continent and the world to seek economic opportunities. Thus, the City is appropriately positioned to facilitate activities that foster social cohesion amongst its residents, as well as its visitors. The arts have, since time immemorial, been an instrument of peace-making and keeping, with the power to usher in both transformation and unity.
The festival will take place throughout the month of September, in various places across the City to ensure access to all the residents, with most of the shows free in order to allow all our residents, especially the poor and previously marginalised, an opportunity to enjoy the festivities.
The 2018 Arts Alive International Festival will kick-off with a media launch at the Joburg Theatre, showcasing artists like Putuma Tiso and Berita who will be performing at Jazz on the Lake. They will be joined by Soweto-based group Afrida Marimaba Band, who will kick-start the Jazz festivities.
Hip Hop and Pantsula dancers from the Global Dance Supreme, as well as SeTswana and Xitsonga Traditional Dancers from the Cultural Festival and Cruz Aafrika from the Heritage Unity Festival will grace the event with electrifying dance moves and music.
Sunday the 2nd of September will usher in the start of our signature event, the Jazz on the Lake Concert. This year will see the festival paying tribute to icons in the music industry such as the late Bra Hugh Masekela and Doctor Phillip Tabane, amongst others.
These tributes will culminate with a Tribute Concert for Mme Letta Mbuli on the 24th of September 2018, and an unveiling of the Blue Heritage Plaque to mark the home where her career started, as a heritage site.
This is in line with the department’s priority to celebrate the great talent in Joburg while the artists are still with us.