The Africa Centre
Based in South Africa, the Africa Centre is both a physical entity and an ongoing philosophical process. In time it will emerge as a multi-sited, multiple-usage space where the visual, intellectual and performance cultures of Africa, South and North are celebrated, studied and brought to life for diverse audiences in innovative ways.
This site documents our current projects, approach to arts and cultural practice, arts and cultural events in Africa, links to other organizations, and a forum for discussion. [+]
Spier Arts Festivals
The Spier Arts Festivals comprise three vibrant festivals – poetry, performance and music - which happen from February through to October 2008. These Festivals happen in a spectrum of venues from Cape Town to Stellenbosch. [+]
The Pan African Space Station
1 – 4 October 2008
The Pan African Space Station (PASS) is a four-day a music intervention from October 1-4 across greater Cape Town. The festival is presented by the Africa Centre with the support of Spier, and it is curated by Ntone Edjabe and Neo Muyanga. The event is an opportunity for Capetonians and visitors to engage up-close with the rich and complex web of creative expression which binds Africans across the globe.
PASS plays host to genre-busting music outfits from global Africa dedicated to exploring new musical territory. In the main, the festival seeks to profile local and international acts which may not yet have reached household-name status in South Africa, but which are nonetheless at the very top of their game. [+]
Spier Contemporary
The Johannesburg leg of the Spier Contemporary, sponsored by Hollard, has ended its run at the Johannesburg Art Gallery with excellent media coverage and feedback from visitors to the exhibition.
The final leg of the exhibition, scheduled to run at the Durban Art Gallery from mid-August, has had to be cancelled due to sponsorship from a public sector donor not materialising.
To date, the Spier Contemporary has attracted close to 20 000 visitors in Cape Town and Johannesburg, and has generated more than R3 million worth of media exposure. It has provided a national and even an international platform for the participating artists, with many artists commenting on the positive impact that the event has had on their careers.
The Africa Centre has been gratified by the success of the Spier Contemporary on all levels and planning is underway for the next event which is due to run in 2009/2010.
We would like to thank the participating artists, art collectors, buyers, arts media and the general public for their interest in, and support for the Spier Contemporary.
Although the exhibition has ended you can still see it virtually online [+]
The Spier Contemporary catalogue is now also available at selected Exclusive Books branches.
Read more about Spier Contemporary and 2007 Winners [+]
Xeno – Love – Here
TAC benefit concert for crisis relief work with foreign nationals who have been displaced.
Date: Friday 6th June
Time: 20:00 – 22:00
Venue: St Georges Cathedral, Cape Town
Tickets: R50 at the door
Line up: Tina Schouw, Natascha Roth, James Schofield, Denis Moses, Ernestine Deane, Gavin Minter and Brian De Goede.
MAGNET THEATRE
The Magnet Theater is putting on 3 performances of EVERY YEAR, EVERYDAY I AM WALKING, a powerful piece of physical theatre about refugees in Africa.
ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TO THE TAC FUND SUPPORTING THE REFUGEES.
DATES: 3, 4 & 5 JUNE 2008
TIME: 20h00
WHERE: ARENA THEATRE, HIDDINGH HALL, UCT’S ORANGE STREET CAMPUS, CAPE TOWN
PRICE: R100
AGE SUITABILITY: Ages 13 and up
BOOKINGS AND MORE INFORMATION: Call the Magnet Theatre office: 021 4807173 or lESOKO on 082 6957540
STOP XENEPHOBIA!
The Western Cape Civil Society Coalition is holding a rally to speak out against the xenephobia that is ravaging our communities across the country and to address the humanitarian crisis this is creating.
VENUE: St George’s Cathedral, Wale Street Cape Town
DATE: 27 May 2008
TIME: 12h00 – 14h00
Please attend and spread the word
Get to JAG!
Make sure you don’t miss Spier Contemporary at JAG. The show closes on 31 May 2008 so you have just one week left to see the exhibition in Johannesburg before it moves to the Durban Art Gallery.
SPIER CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME
A week of visual art performed live
From 14 to 18 May 2008 the Spier Contemporary presents an enthralling programme of live performance art pieces throughout the city of Johannesburg.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APPOINTED
The playwright and respected arts administrator Mike van Graan has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Africa Centre. He takes over from Tanner Methvin who had been standing in as acting Executive Director. Methvin will continue to sit on the board of the AC.
Spier Contemporary is coming to Joburg
The Spier Contemporary in Cape Town has received rave reviews both locally and internationally and is now coming to Gauteng. Join us for the public launch at the Johannesburg Art Gallery on Saturday 15 March 2008 at 19.00, featuring live performances by three of the ten performance pieces on the show. The exhibition runs until 31 May 2008 and is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am until 5pm at the Johannesburg Art Gallery.
Public workshops in the performing arts
An exciting programme of public workshops will run from Mon 25 February to Sat 1 March. Performers, designers and performance makers are invited to attend these workshops by leading South African experts in theatre-making, design, dance and vocal performance. This is an opportunity to extend the boundaries of your art, work into the finer details of your craft, and indulge in creativity. Facilitators include Gerhard Marx, Gregory Maqoma, Savitri Naidoo and many others.
THE SPIER PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL
has left the Spier Estate, and will be “INFECTING THE CITY” from 26 February to 2 March.
A diverse programme of works will be presented in Cape Town squares, fountains, museums and theatres in the inner city. There is contemporary dance, theatre, performance art, and smatterings of opera, choral music and Indian and African dance, as well as an exciting workshop programme. We encourage you to spend a couple of days in the city centre, enjoying the wine and restaurants, and attending several shows: free outdoor performances during the day, and a range of ticketed works at night.
Southbank
The Africa Centre currently does not own or operate any permanent infrastructure but operates its programmes in a wide variety of places. Ultimately, the Africa Centre will construct a core infrastructure within and supported by a residential community, which will be known as the Southbank. [+]
