Written by: Goitsemang Mokoena
Joburg arts enthusiasts and partygoers can look forward to a jam-packed arts programme at this year’s Arts Alive festival said organizers at the 2009 Arts Alive media launch held at the Market Theatre last Wednesday. The festival is expected to captivate the hearts of arts lovers as it offers an array of activities ranging from poetry and hip-hop to comedy and theatre to visual art and jazz.
This year’s festival – themed ‘Joburg Switched On’ – will honour and celebrate the life of Mzansi’s most treasured jazz musician Dorothy Masuku. Addressing the media at the launch, the City of Joburg’s Director Steven Sacks said: “This year the programme proves that Arts Alive is not just a highly anticipated fixture in Johannesburg and nationally, but is fast defining a global cultural festival that confirm our great city as the cultural hub of the continent and a real arts destination.”
Now in its 17th year, this year’s festival takes place from the 3rd until the 30th of September. Music fanatics can expect to see acclaimed Senegalese musician, Omar Pene; Mingas from Mozambique; Dudu Mahenga from Zimbabwe; and South Africa’s pop band Gangs Of Instrumental while poetry lovers will be entertained with a fusion of spoken word poetry, beat poetry and organic music. The event will coincide with the 4th World Arts Summit, the first one of its kind held in Africa, from the 22nd to the 25th of September. In addition to this it will see delegates from all over the continent coming together for the Moshito Music Conference and Exhibition.
For more info on Arts Alive 2009 visit www.artsalive.co.za
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