February 2, 2004
By Tammy O'Reilly
IF a sneak preview of this year's Festival of Fame is anything to go by, the annual event is going to be as spectacular as those held previously - provided the National School of the Arts can secure much needed sponsorship.
NSA needs sponsors
The National School of Arts, based in Braamfontein, has, in partnership with the Johannesburg Development Agency, held a festival of art drama, music and dance for the past two years.
Launched in 2002, the event was initially held over three days, with last year's Festival of Fame taking place over four days. This year organisers hope to hold a five-day spectacular that will be jam packed with performances, workshops and exhibitions from the NSA's four departments: arts, drama, music and dance.
The Festival of Fame is set to take place from 10 May to 15 May.
However, as the festival grows so too has the need for additional sponsorship. At a pre-launch event last week at the NSA, pupils from the drama and ballet departments put on a sterling performance for the media and would-be sponsors.
While the media and company representatives mingled and helped themselves to snacks and drinks, the sparkling sounds of the NSA quartet resonated through the school's foyer.
During a the tour of the school, led by Yvette Hardie, the artistic director of the Festival of Fame, guests were given a taste of what to expect from the upcoming festival. Ballet dancers in tutus, colourful bodices and bold make-up rehearsed intricate dances in the ballet studios, much to the delight of the audience.
In the main school hall the talented drama students performed a snippet of a play, Streetwise 2, a humorous play that deals with the turmoil of travelling by taxi in Johannesburg.
The 35-year-old school boasts a number of successful musicians actors, producers, television and radio presenters and takes particular pride in having Charlize Theron, Academy Award nominee and recent Golden Globe Award winner for best performance in a drama, as a graduate of their school.
The JDA provided the financial backing to get the festival off the ground in 2002 and 2003, but additional sponsors are now being sought to ensure that the festival becomes sustainable in the future.
JDA's CEO, Graeme Reid, said Braamfontein had been identified as an important commercial node and he made a special appeal to the businesses located in Braamfontein to help sponsor the event.
"Our primary focus here at the NSA is on the future and vibrancy of the arts. I have been involved in the Festival of Fame for the past three years, and I have seen the festival grow. We are hoping to find additional sponsorship for this year's festival, but even if we don't the event will go on - but on a much smaller scale," said Hardie, who is also the school's head of the drama department.
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