July 26, 2005
By Tammy O'Reilly
HIP-HOP artist Busta Rhymes is this year's headliner at Joburg's Arts Alive International Festival.
The festival, in its 14th year, runs from Thursday, 1 September to Sunday, 4 September and is the ultimate indulgence for art lovers. It features an eclectic mix of dance, visual art, poetry and music at venues in the inner city.
Each year organisers secure one popular international artist for the main concert, held at the Johannesburg Stadium. Last year American rapper 50 Cent gave the crowd their money's worth, and this year Busta is expected to follow suit.
Adding a taste of local flavour to the concert will be supporting acts KB and PRO Kid.
A total of 638 artists will perform during the four-day festival, with the majority of shows taking place at various venues in Newtown.
"We are using every venue that is available in Newtown and altogether 23 venues in Johannesburg will be used," says organiser Nomahlubi Simamane.
"Most of the shows will be in Newtown because it is showing support [of] the City of Johannesburg's efforts to establish that area as a cultural hub."
For the first time the festival features the Roads to Arts Alive, which aims to promote untapped talent. This smaller project ensures the presence of the Arts Alive throughout the year as a build up to the main event.
Events that have taken place so far under the Roads to Arts Alive umbrella are the National School of Arts Festival of Fame, Vuka Vuka! and the 969 Festival.
"We have also significantly increased the portion of the budget that is dedicated to showcasing different up and coming talent and the dance budget has been more than doubled," Simamane says.
"We haven't made too many changes to the line up as we are trying to create a sense of brand loyalty, but there are a few new features, such as poetry."
The Songwriters Club in Newtown will host Speak the Mind sessions on 2 and 3 September. These will show audiences the different forms of poetry that exist, like spoken word, beat poetry, hip-hop and funk.
Another first is a gospel segment called Spiritual Experience that will take place at the University of Johannesburg campus in Soweto on Sunday, 4 September. It is free on a first come-first serve basis. Gates close at 6pm sharp.
The ever-popular Jazz on the Lake takes place on the final day and the organisers are considering establishing a corporate village at the event.
"We are looking at getting support from businesses. We are not short on numbers for the event, but we want to reel in support from businesses," Simamane says.
Mayoral committee member for social development Christine Walters says, "The Arts Alive festival is seen as an awakening of the city to Spring.
"It also puts Newton into the spotlight and makes people aware of the wonderful facilities that the city has. But most of all it is the City's way of saying thanks to its residents."
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