AS Johannesburg eases into the cooler climes of May, the annual Africa Day festivities, hosted by the, City of Johannesburg, in partnership with the National Department of Arts & Culture and SABC 2 and produced by Arts Alive, promises to deliver the continents hottest Africa Day festivities, in the form of a dizzying range of activities that will fire up the month of May in true African style!

The Africa Day celebrations literally has something for everyone – whatever your interest or passion! Check it out - the festivities comprise a concert on Saturday 24th May, that will be beamed live to the entire African continent via SABC2 and SABC Africa from Mary Fitzgerald Square in Newtown, and a second concert on Sunday 25th May to be staged in Soweto’s Mofolo Park, an African film festival featuring our continent’s finest screen offerings, an African crafts fair showcasing the elegance and beauty of Africa’s artistic talents, a Battle of the Bands with Soweto’s untapped talent, and the anti-xenophobia workshop, amongst other things.

This year, the African continent observes the 45th anniversary of Africa Day, a commemorative day established by the then Organisation of African Unity (today known as the African Union), to acknowledge, showcase and celebrate African history, heritage and culture. The day represents African unity, and during the weekend of festivities, the vibrancy and dynamism of African culture, in its many manifestations, will be highlighted.

This year’s celebrations kick off with a free concert hosted by the SABC 2, Department of Arts & Culture and the City of Johannesburg, produced by Arts Alive and SABC 2 on Mary Fitzgerald Square on Saturday, 24th May – the concert will be broadcast live on SABC2 and SABC Africa. The performance line-up is an incredible offering of the continent’s talent – Senegalese troubadour Ismael Lo, Chiwoniso of Zimbabwe, and Dobet Gnahore from Cote D’Ivoire .Mapumba from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Africa’s very own legendary, SAMA-award winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo rounds off the broadcast bill. Before the broadcast, expect to see the Mohatella Queens, Australia’s White Cockatoo, and the amazing Sarakasi Kenyan acrobats.

The following day, Sunday, May 25th, the party moves to Mofolo Park for a free concert, with Ismael Lo, Chiwoniso, Dobet Gnahore and White Cockatoo in the heart of Soweto.

In addition to the concerts, there are a number of events that form part of the Africa Day celebrations showcasing various aspects of African culture:
o The uniquely exquisite beauty of African crafts will also be showcased as part of Harambe Afrika Celebrate!, a craft exhibition, funded by the Kellogg Foundation, that incorporates crafters from Botswana, Swaziland, the DRC, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa. The exhibition, which is free to the public, will be held on May 24th and 25th in Museum Africa.
o Mofolo Park Arts Centre will host the Battle of the Bands on the 24th May – the winning group will perform alongside the Africa Day concert performers at the Mofolo Park concert on 25th May.
o SABC Africa presents the Africa on Screen Film Festival, in association with Red Flag and sponsored by Amarula.
o Crafts Workshop – the workshops coordinated by Imbali, will take place in Region A with a focus on understanding issues around xenophobia and developing practical textile design skills based on African craft traditions.

The Africa Day celebrations are produced by Arts Alive, and hosted by the Department of Arts & Culture, SABC 2 and the City of Johannesburg in collaboration with various partners, namely - the Department of External Affairs as VIP area hosts; the Department of Arts and Culture; The Australian High Commission; the French Institute; the City of Johannesburg’s department of Arts, Culture and Heritage; the Kellogg Foundation; the Alexander Renewal Project and the Mofolo Park Arts Centre. photo promo 4_Credits_Pierre RENE-WORMS


Note to editors:
• The Africa Day show on Mary Fitzgerald Square (Saturday, May 24th) and at Mofolo Park (Sunday, May 25th) are Arts Alive concerts – they are both free to the public.
• The Africa Day concert held on Mary Fitzgerald Square will be broadcast live on May 24th on SABC Africa and SABC 2 from 20h00 to 22h30.
• There are more weekend activities planned. We will provide you with detail as soon as they are confirmed.
• The Arts Alive International Festival is scheduled to take place in September 2008.


Picture: No
Submitted by Marang Setshwaelo
PR Company: Dreamcatcher
Telephone Number: 011 234 8650
Cellphone Number: 082 559 1802
Client's name: Arts Alive
Website: http://www.artsalive.co.za