Member of Mayoral Committee, Cllr. Nonhlanhla Sifumba wishes to congratulate the City of Joburg’s Team for successfully launching the 2017 Arts Alive International Festival.
The International Festival, hosted in various spaces within the City has been a resounding success in terms of the number of people that have attended the events so far.
On Friday, 1st September, the festival kicked off with live interviews on Sunrise by the Executive Mayor, Cllr Herman Mashaba, and the MMC Nonhlanhla Sifumba.
Artists including Nduduzo Makhathini, Amanda Black, and Zamajobe were also interviewed to give the residents of Joburg a preview of what they can expect from the venues and dates they will be performing.
The Joburg Theatre continued to be a hive of activity as various artists and cultural groups sampled what they will be offering the diverse community of Johannesburg. Performances included Alaine and Deane Fraser; Tlale Makhene; Tubatsi Mpho Maloi and urban Village; and Mthwakazi and Ensemble from the Cape Gate Magic Centre for Music.
On Sunday, 3rd September Zoo Lake was the place to be to enjoy the Jazz on the Lake. Entry to the event was free to ensure access to the diverse people of Johannesburg. Free public transport was organized from central points to ease the congestion around Zoo Lake, and to ensure safety and enjoyment of the event.
Performances for the day included local artists Nduduzo Makhathini, Sibongile Khumalo, Amanda Black, Queen Cora, and Jamaican Alaine and Dean Fraser.
Other activities that took place over the weekend include the following:
| Date(s) | Event | Time | Venue | Entrance |
| 1 – 9 September | Inner City High Schools Drama Festival | Hillbrow Theatre | Free | |
| 2 – 3 September | Jozi Book Fair | 17:00 | Mary Fitzgerald Square, Newtown | Free |
| 2 September | Launch of Hugh Tracey for Future Generations | 17:00 | Museum Africa, Newtown | Free |
| 4 September | Masterclass Music Workshop | 15:00 | National School of the Arts, Braamfontein | Free |
More activities to follow during the week are:
| Date(s) | Event | Time | Venue | Entrance |
| 8 – 10 September | The South African Book Fair | 15:00 | Museum Africa, Newtown | Free |
| 9 September | Ruimsig Youth Event | 11:00 – 14:00 | Cosmo City Multi-Purpose Centre | Free |
I would like to thank all the departments and staff members involved in making sure that we deliver an accessible, enjoyable, safe and memorable festival.
I urge the residents to continue abiding by the rules of the venues where these events are hosted to ensure that we have an incident free festival. I also urge residents to keep checking posters all around Johannesburg for events near their areas. Attempts were made this year to make this festival a truly inclusive experience for all the people of Joburg.
For more information about future events members of the media are invited to direct enquiries with:
Ntombi Mashaba ntombi@joburgtheatre.com or Thula Cube thulacube@gmail.com