Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival postponed
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
The much-awaited Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival, which was scheduled to start on January 23 running till January 25, 2025 is off -for now.
The jazz jamboree has been postponed indefinitely. In a short media statement released by the oragnisers, those behind the festival state that the postponement was due to the fact that the main venue of the festival, the John Kani Theatre is no longer available as its offer of availability by the Market Theatre Foundation was suddenly withdrawn on Friday, January 17, 2025. No reasons were given by the organisers for this withdrawal. The Market Theatre Foundation was last year a hosting partner for this festival which during its debut was seen as a potential catalyst for making the Newtown cultural precinct to become a buzzing reminiscent of its past. Glory when it was abuzz with creative energy.
However the oragnisers indicated that all was not lost as the festival was still going to take place in the near future. No date was given. This year’s line up is an impressive one with leading pianist Nduduzo Makhathini announced as the front person to anchor the festival. Others in the line up announced recently include iphuphoL’ka Biko, an alternative sound group whose repertoire is between jazz and African music and are highly appreciated by audiences whenever they are on stage and award-winning saxophonist Steve dyer among others.
“After thorough deliberation and careful consideration, the organizing committee of the 2025 Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival has reluctantly decided to postpone the event due to unforeseen circumstances beyond our control.
A key factor influencing this difficult decision was an unexpected notification we received from the Market Theatre on the evening of Friday, January 17th.
They informed us that we would no longer have access to the John Kani Theatre for both Friday and Saturday of the festival.
This particular venue plays a critical role in our event, as it represents over 50% of our daily seating capacity, making its absence a substantial issue for our planning.
Originally, our vision for the festival included approximately 800 seats available to attendees each day, with the Market Theatre contributing around 470 of those seats.
The sudden loss of this important venue significantly impairs our ability to host the festival as planned, as it not only limits ticket availability but also diminishes the overall experience we hoped to provide for our audience and performers alike.
We sincerely appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate this challenging situation.
For those who purchased tickets online, please rest assured that Web Tickets will be available to assist you with the refund process, ensuring that you receive your money back promptly and efficiently.
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to sharing more updates in the future,” reads the statement released by Newtown Jazz and Heritage Festival Organising Committee.