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Arts Alive offers a chance to "to position
Joburg as a real arts destination", believes the new organiser of the huge
festival.
SEPTEMBER features large on Johannesburg’s arts scene, with the holding of the annual Joburg Arts Alive festival.
The month-long celebration usually offers a feast of events from music to dance, from art to drama, from poetry to comedy – and a range of other appetisers.
Preparing for the event, Zanusi Brand Solutions has been appointed
by the City of Johannesburg
to manage Arts Alive, the annual month-long arts and culture festival, for the
next three years.
According to the City's director of arts, culture
and heritage, Steven Sack, Zanusi, a brand marketing company, was selected from
a list of 17 companies that tendered to run the prestigious programme.
The City's director of arts, culture and heritage, Steven Sack
"Zanusi brings together a strong team of
arts, marketing and communication specialists who have experience in managing
Arts Alive during 2003 to 2005," said Sack.
It is already working on creating a
programme for the event, which will run from 3 to 30 September. "They have many
contacts and networks in the arts sector and are well positioned to deliver an
event that addresses the core values and objectives of the City," said Sack.
These values and objectives "require that
our work address the needs of the poor and marginalised communities as well as
provide a showcase for the best and most talented".
Nomahlubi Simamane, the managing director
of Zanusi, said Arts Alive 2009 would showcase a side of Johannesburg that defined a world-class
African city that can "play as hard as it works".
"Arts Alive already has a very strong foundation
and we plan to build on that to create a month-long programme of activities
that draws on Arts Alive-specific events and many amazing arts and culture
activities that take place in Joburg during the month," she said.
Theatre, dance, visual arts, comedy, spoken
word and poetry, among other arts will be featured at the festival. Long-time
favourites like Jazz on the Lake will remain
on the calendar, while music in general will continue to be a big focus.
Multiple partnerships and collaborations have
formed and are expected to produce some stunning content. Among these are the
Indian Shared Histories programme and the National Arts Festival run as well as
partnerships with the Thai embassy, the Austrian embassy, the Jamaican embassy,
the Soweto Festival and the National Arts Council.
Adding significantly to the impact of Arts
Alive 2009, is the fourth World Summit on Arts and Culture, being held in
Joburg from 22 to 25 September.
"We are ecstatic about possibilities that
exist with Arts Alive. We are taking a well-established brand that already has
many loyal followers and taking it to the next level. It is a chance to position
the city of Joburg
as a real arts destination."
For more information about Arts Alive, call
Rami Nhlapo on 011 886 0502.
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