‘A little bit more magic’: bringing back the NAF vibe

‘A little bit more magic’: bringing back the NAF vibe By Anthea Garman More than 80 Makhandans gathered on Wednesday night at the Graham Hotel for the first meeting of the “Invest in Fest” initiative, started by a small group of locals determined to bring back the vibe, the verve, and vibrancy that once characterised the National Arts Festival. Although the festival adds around R58 million to the economy of Makana (according to a 2024 study done by Prof Jen Snowball, Fiona Drummond and Nkululeko Sibanda for the NAF 50th anniversary), Nicci Spalding, the festival technical director, told the gathering that essentially there had been “no recovery support since covid” for artists and for festivals. As a result, NAF had shrunk, and many components like the Children’s Festival, WordFest, Think!Fest, the pop-up restaurants and the buskers had all but disappeared. This year’s festival did not even have the Jazz Fest or the wonderful component of youth jazz or the parades. Plus, major cable thefts, pulled off by syndicates, plunged the streets NAF had deliberately lit in advance into total darkness. William Fourie, MC for the evening, summed up the intention of the Invest in Fest initiative in four words, asking everyone present to pour their “time, love, energy and commitment” into supporting the return of a festival bursting with excitement. Louise Boy and Dudu Nyakoto kicked off the evening by reminding the audience of the experiences that once complemented the artistic shows. They said what we are in desperate need of is “vibe… and a little bit of magic”. Fiona Drummond, presenting the study results of a survey of patrons from 2024, said while a very high percentage (94%) said they would recommend the festival to others, they also said it needed better marketing, that the town’s infrastructure needed to be addressed, and that it was missing the “vibrant atmosphere”. The study also showed that a high proportion of festival-goers return again and again, but the percentage of new people coming to discover the fest for the very first time was very low. The gathering broke into groups to address three important topics: what is the value of the festival? what are the challenges? And what is the way forward? Then things got loud. The three topics were abandoned, and the groups got stuck into projects and ideas. Almost everyone had a plan to put forward, with many already seeking avenues and funders to bring back much-loved sections of the festival. Feedback, managed by Fourie and Philippa Irvine, was somewhat chaotic, but essentially these were the points made: The value Makhanda has to offer: history and heritage; collaboration and linkages; uniqueness; diversity; revenue for everyone. The challengers were identified as: dates, duration and timing (a very hot topic); vibe — bits of colour popping up; accommodation that’s too expensive (average R1 200 per night); a town that “doesn’t look good”; marketing and branding; dysfunctional halls and venues; transport around the city and to the township; lights and cable theft; the silos of tourism, business and accommodation providers need co-ordination; the NAF online platform (bring back a printed programme); and, include other languages. The way forward is to take this further with another meeting soon. Irvine has already set up a WhatsApp channel to form specific groups for specific projects, as well as a Facebook page. Boy spoke about a new website called Molo Makhanda which will list every business in the city for free and charge a small rent for bigger spaces. And as for those other sparky ideas, this is a short taster: parades! Art walk! Al fresco dining along High Street! Hikes and trails! A marathon! Lighting all the businesses in town with coloured spotlights! Street theatre! A voucher system for buskers (for people who no longer carry cash)! Flags (make your own from a pattern)! And as for those who miss the beer tent, I know that one attendee from last night was eyeing empty ground nearby the Village Green site that won’t run afoul of BELA (the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act), which outlaws liquor on school premises.