National Arts Festival

Makhanda · ZA

The National Arts Festival has taken over Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown) in South Africa's Eastern Cape every winter since 1974, staging more than 300 productions across eleven days and calling itself the country's most diverse arts festival. Music runs alongside theatre, dance, visual art, poetry and comedy. The Festival has handed out the Standard Bank Young Artist Awards since 1981; the 2026 winners were Gabi Motuba for Jazz and Ndumiso Manana for Music, each commissioned to premiere new work in Makhanda when the 2026 edition ran 25 June to 5 July. There are two ways in. The Curated Programme is chosen by the Festival's Artistic Committee and its 2027 application form is open from 6 August to 27 September 2026, 23:59 CAT, taking completed works, works in development and new ideas, with a limit of two applications per artist and shortlisted candidates notified by 2 November 2026; questions go to a named address. The Fringe is uncurated and open to artists from anywhere in the world who pay a registration fee and bring the work themselves, and 2027 Fringe applications open in September 2026. Fringe work is judged for Ovation Awards during the run, and the 2025 Gold went partly to a music piece, Ubufakazi by Ulujo House. General enquiries go to a general address or the 0860 002 004 call centre.