Creative Cape Town

Cape Town Festival 2010 will present its perennially popular Human Rights Day Concert on Sunday March 21 as part of the eleventh festival, which runs from Friday March 19 to Sunday March 21.

Billed as an “incomparable” culture and heritage event, the Cape Town Festival sets out to present a diverse arts, culture and heritage event that caters for all cultural groups and ages, Mother City residents and visitors alike.
Last year, the Festival attracted a record 32 000 festival-goers over three days.

In line with South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer, this year’s Cape Town Festival, which was born out of the “One City, Many Cultures” campaign is reaching across to our neighbours on the African continent. Acclaimed Angolan R & B singer Anselmo Ralph has confirmed his presence as the headline act during the Main Festival, which takes place at the Company’s Garden in Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town.

In a spirit of co-operation with the City of Cape Town, the Human Rights Day Concert was moved to Sunday, because, on Monday, the day initially earmarked for the concert, the City is testing the 2010 FIFA World Cup logistics with the Cape Town Stadium at full capacity. This means both the SAPS and the City Servies will be fully committed to the Monday event at Cape Town Stadium.

For the first time during the Cape Town Festival, Metrorail will lay on trains throughout the Main Festival, in a bid to attract more festival-goers who depend on public transport.

The Main Festival will be preceded by the “One City, Many Cultures” debate. Cape Town Festival 2010 has scooped former University of Cape Town Vice-Chancellor and World Bank Deputy President Dr Mamphele Ramphele and Cape Town Partnership Chief Executive Andrew Boraine as speakers for the debate which takes place on Wednesday 17 March.

The debate will take place at 19h00, following a 18h00 screening of the documentary Rainbow Nation 2010 at the Iziko South African Museum’s TH Barry Lecture Hall, at 25 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town, at the top of the Company’s Garden.

This documentary will set the tone for what should prove an invigorating discussion between the audience and panelists Ramphele and Boraine. The Cape Town Partnership plays a pivotal role in revitalising Cape Town’s city centre and both panelists are proud Capetonians. They will share with the audience their fears, hopes and expectations following the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer.

Rainbow Nation 2010 is directed by Joanna Tomkins and is a South African / Spanish collaboration. Produced in 2009, the 52-minute documentary is an exquisitely filmed composition of eight independent portraits that serve to showcase the true heart of South Africa through everyday encounters with South African people as they share their beliefs and hopes in relation to the FIFA 2010 World Cup Soccer and what can be expected in its aftermath. Each chapter is portrayed in the words of its own primary character.

Cape Town Festival Executive Chairperson Ryland Fisher said: “Every festival should have a serious, intellectual side, especially a festival such as the Cape Town Festival, which was born with a specific mission in mind: that of uniting the diverse communities of Cape Town despite their apparent differences.”

“We hope that the ‘One City, Many Cultures Debate’ will begin a process of talking about what is going to happen after all the leading soccer players in the world have left our shores. What is the legacy that they and the Soccer World Cup will leave behind? While we will get excited in the build-up and during the World Cup,” Fisher said. “it is important to remember that life must go on in South Africa afterwards. It is the nature of ‘afterwards’ that will be discussed during this debate.”

Fisher said the ‘One City, Many Cultures Debate’ seeks to encourage a stimulating debate of varying viewpoints.

The community festivals, which will feature homegrown community talents, will take place at Atlantis (Saturday 27 February, from 09h00 until 17h00), Hanover Park at the Mount View High School (Saturday 6 March from 09h00 till 17h00) and at Langa (Saturday 13 March from 09h00 till 17h00).

The Main Festival concerts in the Company’s Garden on Sunday will be accompanied by a food, arts and craft market.
Friday and Saturday’s programme will consist of a range of musical styles, with Saturday’s programme being more youth-oriented.

There is no no charge for attending any of the Cape Town Festival 2010’s diverse offering of events.

For further information, visit the Cape Town Festival website. The festival offices can be contacted on telephone (021) 465 9042, or e-mail info@capetownfestival.co.za.

Cape Town Festival 2010 Artist Schedule:

Friday 5 – 10pm
17.00 – 17.45 Hilton Schilder
18.00 – 18.45 Hip Hop Collective
19.00 – 19.45 Good Luck
20.00 – 20.45 Kings of Vegas
21.00 – 22.00 South Paw

Saturday 1 – 10pm
13.00 – 13.30 Country Conquerors
14.00 – 14.45 Under Kontrol – 2009 World Beatbox Champs
15.15 – 16.00 Keeno Lee
16.30 – 17.15 Claire Phillips
18.45 – 19.30 Zaki Ibrahim
20.00 – 20.45 Loading Zone & Allou April
21.15 – 22.00 Napalma

Sunday 1 – 10 pm
13.00 – 13.30 Gugulethu Tenors
14.00 – 14.45 Community Artists
15.15 – 16.00 Cultural Program
16.30 – 17.15 LOUD – Disabled Band
18.45 – 19.30 Emo Adams
20.00 – 20.45 Anselmo Ralph
21.15 – 22.00 Rudimentals