National Arts Festival Makhanda

National Arts Festival Makhanda South Africa's annual multi-disciplinary arts festival, live in Makhanda.
25 June-5 July 2026
(378)

★ Become a NAF groupie - search for the NAF Superfans group ★ Follow us ★ Instagram ★ Twitter ★ Tiktok

Organised by Theatreduo & Co, the 2022 recipients of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Theatre, The Gabrielle Gol...
04/06/2026

Organised by Theatreduo & Co, the 2022 recipients of the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Theatre, The Gabrielle Goliath People's Tribunal aims to initiate a series of urgent debates on political art, freedom of expression, and censorship in contemporary South Africa.

As an artist whose work engages with truth-telling, Gabrielle Goliath recently faced challenges that have made her case a symbol of the broader crisis of censorship in South Africa.

This fight is not just her own, it is a test case for what all artists will be allowed to say, show, and question.

June 30th, July 2nd & 4th | Studio Gallery

Tickets at https://zurl.co/jVe35

2026 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz Gabi Motuba is bringing a brand new ensemble to the 2026 National Arts Festival...
04/06/2026

2026 Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz Gabi Motuba is bringing a brand new ensemble to the 2026 National Arts Festival for a world class performance.
The Sounds of a Black Girl features an exceptional ensemble of world renowned South African musicians : (vocals), (drums), (percussion), (double bass), (guitar), (flute), (piano), and (trumpet). Together, they present a bold sonic statement that centres vocal improvisation while traversing the terrains of spiritual jazz and neo soul.

Following her acclaimed sophomore album, The Sabbath, Motuba claims new musical territory through an expansive and experimental compositional approach. Rooted in jazz as philosophy rather than genre, the album dissolves traditional boundaries, embracing improvisation as both method and meaning. “Jazz exists in my philosophy. It is my way of life and my style,” Motuba reflects.
July 04, 2026 | Great Hall | 16:00 - 18:00
Tickets at https://zurl.co/ptQ65

Directed by 2024 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre, MoMo Matsunyane, The Cry of Winnie Mandela follows four women w...
03/06/2026

Directed by 2024 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre, MoMo Matsunyane, The Cry of Winnie Mandela follows four women who meet to reflect, joined together by their anticipation of their husbands’ return. Engaged in sacred moments of sharing and fellowship, they lean on the heroism of Winnie Mandela, and the connection they feel towards her.

The women interrogate their – and other women’s – reasons for waiting, and what the wait did to them. This interrogation leads to a series of hearty, haunting, and critical conversations, drawing audiences to reflect on the historical struggles of women, while drawing parallels to our own contemporary lives.

A moving exploration of endurance, sisterhood and the stories women carry across generations.

26-28 June | Rhodes Theatre

02/06/2026

Ready to come together and build new worlds?
We gather in Makhanda, 25 June-5 July 2026 .
From single notes to soaring choirs, from ancient craft to mind-blowing tech, from silent contemplation to conversation — it’s all waiting for you to see it, hear it and touch it at .

Head to https://zurl.co/V5bVv to see the programme and book.

Proudly supported by Standard Bank and the Eastern Cape Department of Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture.

2026 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre, Jason Jacobs, brings his visionary storytelling practice to the National Ar...
02/06/2026

2026 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre, Jason Jacobs, brings his visionary storytelling practice to the National Arts Festival with KRAAL, a visceral two-part decolonial curation that traverses memory, identity, healing and belonging.

Rooted in the wisdom of the Kamiesberge and presented across both theatre and a sacred matjieshut, KRAAL is more than a performance. It is a site of dreaming, a ritual of restoration and a profound act of gathering what has been fractured by history.
Jacobs is also bringing a film to The National Arts Festival.
Fresh from international acclaim, including the Tiger Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and recognition for a body of work that spans theatre, film and community-centred practice, Jacobs continues to create art that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

At once intimate and expansive, KRAAL invites audiences into a powerful encounter with the past, not as a place of permanence, but as fertile ground for healing, transformation and new ways of imagining the future.

Multi award-winning, Northern Cape based Nama Khoi Productions makes work rooted in the lived realities of the Nama Khoi...
02/06/2026

Multi award-winning, Northern Cape based Nama Khoi Productions makes work rooted in the lived realities of the Nama Khoi community, reflecting on histories of dispossession and the systems that determine belonging, voice and inheritance.

Their new theatre work Eie-Nar opens a reflective space where ownership extends beyond property into culture, body, language and history.

Tickets at https://zurl.co/TjuVB

June 30, July 2-4 | St Andrew's Hall

Reality bends. Minds are read. The impossible takes centre stage. From psychological illusions and daring escapes to wor...
01/06/2026

Reality bends. Minds are read. The impossible takes centre stage.

From psychological illusions and daring escapes to world-class mentalism and spellbinding family magic, the Illusion & Magic line-up at the National Arts Festival is packed with jaw-dropping moments that will leave you questioning everything you thought you knew.
Featuring festival favourites and international sensations Brendon Peel, Li Lau, Charlie Quinn and Morgan Blake, this year’s programme promises wonder, suspense and laughter!

Tickets available at https://zurl.co/lRL4q

It’s nearly time to pack your bags and make your way to Makhanda for the 2026 National Arts Festival!From buzzing cafés ...
31/05/2026

It’s nearly time to pack your bags and make your way to Makhanda for the 2026 National Arts Festival!
From buzzing cafés to the famous Long Table restaurant, vibrant Village Green and late nights at Oldies - there’s plenty happening on and off stage. Catch a kids show before lunch, discover hidden Fringe gems in the afternoon, then head into the evening spoilt for choice by theatre, dance, music, comedy and more.

Head to the https://zurl.co/K7Po8 and hit Plan Your Stay!

25 June-5 July 2026

He was the Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz in 2006 and went on to perform on the worlds biggest stages, collaboratin...
30/05/2026

He was the Standard Bank Young Artist for Jazz in 2006 and went on to perform on the worlds biggest stages, collaborating with artists like Hugh Masekela, Tamara Dey, Louis Mhlanga, McCoy Mrubata and Ernie Smith. Now he returns to Makhanda with the timeless spirit and soulful elegance of, Songs That Move Us. A vibrant musical journey across generations, cultures and rhythms unites artists across generations.

June 27th, 2026 | Guy Butler Theatre | 19:00 - 20:00

Tickets at https://zurl.co/OqVk2

Is social media distracting us from the apocalypse? FAMEHUNGRY throws theatre headfirst into the algorithm. Part social ...
30/05/2026

Is social media distracting us from the apocalypse?

FAMEHUNGRY throws theatre headfirst into the algorithm. Part social experiment, part digital meltdown, part battle for relevance, this unpredictable live experience unfolds simultaneously on stage and on TikTok Live.

As likes climb, the stakes rise. Audiences watch as artist Louise Orwin navigates trolls, trends, validation and visibility in a relentless pursuit of attention. Funny, chaotic and unsettling, FAMEHUNGRY asks the question we're all avoiding: are we creating, performing, or simply feeding the algorithm?

The internet is watching. So is the theatre. What happens next depends on both.

July1,3&4 | Thomas Pringle
Tickets at https://zurl.co/8Icjp

Address

Fort Selwyn Drive
Grahamstown
6139

Telephone

+27466031103

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when National Arts Festival Makhanda posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to National Arts Festival Makhanda:

Shortcuts

Share