20 August, 2003 Press Release Arts Alive The City of Johannesburg hosts the Arts Alive Festival every year in September. This prestigious event has a track record of eleven years and has featured a variety of artists from all over the world. What Arts alive does, is to confirm our strongly held view that Johannesburg is indeed the cultural hub of the African continent. To this end, we have allocated R6million - including city services - to ensure that the festival becomes a success. Last year, our department of Arts, Culture and Heritage Services Department acknowledged that it could not run the annual Arts Alive festival on its own. The city decided to call for a tender and requested professional organisations to come forward. After a rigorous adjudication process, the tender was awarded to a consortium of three companies, namely: Zee Zee Productions, Zanusi Brand Solutions and InTouch Productions. This year's festival promises cutting-edge, innovative activities and a repertoire of talented artists. It will run over a period of eight days from September 17 to 28. Although the festival is centred around music, the programme will feature other arts such as poetry, raves, film and dance. Exhibitions such as fashion, painting, photographic will also be held at various venues in Newtown and Soweto So far, we are satisfied with the work that the events management team has been able to carry out thus far. This year's festival promises an exciting line up of four international artists and 26 from Africa. For the first time in eleven years, Arts Alive will host events throughout the city. The Arts Alive Village will be in Newtown. This will also showcase the successful regeneration projects that are under way in Newtown and its surrounds. Events will also be held in satellite venues in the northern suburbs like the Dome and Sandton City as well as in the southern suburbs of Johannesburg. As you all know, September is South Africa's Tourism Month. We hope Arts Alive will further entrench Johannesburg as a viable tourist destination. Through a celebration of arts and culture, the festival has a vital role to play in the revival of the inner city. Arts Alive will contribute to the economic development of the city where people from all walks of life can work, play and be entertained. For more information, please contact: Kgotso Chikane Spokesperson for the Executive Mayor Tel: 407-7558 Fax: 339-5704 Cell: 082 464 9446 Email: kgotsoc@joburg.org.za Kgotso Chikane Spokesperson for the Executive Mayor Tel: (011) 407-7558 Fax: (011) 339-5704 Cell: 082 464 9446 Email: kgotsoc@joburg.org.za Please visit our website: www.joburg.org.za