May 9, 2006
By Thabang Mokoka
NEWTOWN will celebrate Africa Day for the second time with a host of activities, from a flea market to concerts – and the Newtown Art Showcase, a new venture aimed to show off the creative flair of Jozi's youngsters.
Budding young poets, skateboard enthusiasts, musicians and outdoor theatre productions all fill the criteria for inclusion in the art showcase. Africa Day is a day set aside to celebrate the continent's arts. This year, the second time it is being held, it takes place on 27 May.
As part of the festivities, the Newtown flea market will be relaunched and Mary Fitzgerald Square will get an African touch, in the form of colourful stalls where African art, craft, antiques, collectables, second-hand goods and interesting food will be on sale.
As part of Africa Day festivities, the Newtown flea market will be relaunched and Mary Fitzgerald Square will get an African touch
After this launch it will run each Saturday, although on Africa Day it will focus on work from Gauteng artists, more particularly those from Soweto. The Newtown Art Showcase will also be launched on the day, and thereafter run each Saturday.
According to Faruk Waja, the marketing director of the Market Establishment Company, the Newtown Art Showcase will serve as a managed platform for youngsters "to express themselves in an environment that is charged with cultural genius".
"We are working closely with the Transnet Foundation and SP!N Productions to unveil yet another first for Newtown."
Susie Mabie, of the Transnet Foundation said, "The Newtown Art Showcase will feature cutting-edge youth content, whether this takes the form of budding young poets, skateboard enthusiasts, musicians or outdoor theatre productions."
Newtown, in the city centre, is the centre of arts and culture in Johannesburg and the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA) has taken steps to improve business in the area, making it a viable spot for selling items of cultural significance.
As part of this thrust, the agency appointed Market Establishment Company to manage informal retail in Newtown, particularly the flea market. A flea market operated informally in the area since the early 1980s, but disappeared when the precinct was redeveloped. The JDA development manager, Xoliswa Ngema, said a "totally new market" would be opened in Newtown under Market Establishment Company.
According to the agency's spokesperson, Tshepo Nkosi, there was a need to formalise the flea market business in the area. "A lot of things in Newtown were informal. We want to attract professional flea market managers so they can add value to the market. We also want to support South African-made arts and crafts and support local businesses in the area."
Celebrate Africa Festival
The Celebrate Africa Festival will also take place on 27 May in the Mary Fitzgerald Square. Hosted by the French Institute of South Africa, the festival will see artists from around the continent entertaining the crowd.
Included on the bill are Bongo Maffin from South Africa, Meissa from Senegal, Amadou and Mariam from Mali and Mapumba from Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The day-long concert, which will be free, starts at 9am.
The programme will also feature Snazz, of hip-hop group Cashless Society, according to Brenda Sisane of SP!N Productions, one of the groups organising the Newtown Art Showcase. Snazz has appeared on The Motherload and Cashless Society albums.
"Sharing the platform with Snazz will be S'phamandla, an acoustic guitarist … think R&B star Maxwell singing in Zulu and playing guitar similar to Bob Marley," Sisane said.
Also taking part will be The Shrine from Britain.
A series of concerts was held at the Bassline in Newtown in the build up to the Celebrate Africa Festival. Ghanaian musician Rex Omar, Nigerian singer Àsà and South African musician Simphiwe Dana have been just some of the artists performing.
The Celebrate Africa Festival is a partnership between the IFAS, the JDA, Nemisa, AS Entertainment, the Joburg Arts Alive International Festival and Kaya FM.
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