DSACR EXHIBITION AT NATIONAL ARTS FESTIVAL 2017

The Free State Department of Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation through its Museum Services have staged an exhibition stall at the National Arts Festival currently underway in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. This exhibition stall consists of literature, artworks, and crafts by Free State authors and artists. It continues to attract audiences from a diverse linguistic and cultural background at the National Arts Festival from across South Africa and the world because of its uniqueness. The 2017 National Arts Festival is being held from 29 June – 9 July 2017 in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape.

The Department is supporting Free State authors, crafters, and artists to the National Festival in order to give them exposure to new audiences and gain new insights. Besides sharing information with the viewers at the exhibition, the Department also engages them in various activities such as Sesotho Literature Museum (SLM) Speed Reading session (Readerthon), with people picking up books randomly and reading fluently without huffs and puffs. The longest standing reader without glitches becomes the winner.

“There is growing international interest in the potential of the cultural and creative industries to drive sustainable development and create inclusive job opportunities. This reaffirms the fact that there is a need to provide more resources to Arts and Culture programmes. Through Arts and Culture we continue to pursue the mandate entrusted upon us by the National Development Plan (NDP) Vision 2030: ‘Transforming Society and Uniting the Country’ and to ensure the realization of social cohesion and nation building in our communities” said MEC Mathabo Leeto.