City of Johannesburg postpones Aluta Nova Festival as rate of coronavirus infections rises in Gauteng
By Edward Tsumele
As uncertainty surrounds the safety of people gathering in large numbers due to the rising numbers of infections and hospitalization, the arts sector unfortunately will continue to be affected by cancellation of scheduled festivals, concerts and exhibitions.
The laets festival to suffer this fate is the inaugural Aluta Nova Festival that was scheduled to take place tomorrow, June 26, 2021 at the James hall Museum of Transport. Organised by the City of Johannesburg, and aimed at connecting especially the youth to cultural spaces within the city such as museums, the festival has now been postponed to September, the Covid-19 situation allowing by then.
” The City of Johannesburg has postponed the Aluta Nova Festival of Museums which was scheduled to take place on 26 June 2021 at the James Hall Museum of Transport. The City prioritises the health and safety of its citizens and due to the rising number of Covid-19 statistics in the Gauteng and the limited number of guests allowed for outdoor gatherings, the City of Joburg has made the responsible decision to postpone the event to a later date in September or as informed by the national Covid-19 regulations. The City apologises for any inconvenience that may have been caused by this decision and we look forward to hosting you in a safe environment.
The festival has been earmarked to become one of the City’s signature programmes curated to offer the youth an opportunity to learn about and explore history, heritage and culture through a contemporary and decolonial lens. This event also promises to offer a variety of activities such as the iconic London Bus museum tours, food/craft markets and an enticing live music line-up which will include live performances by Urban Village, Ami Faku, The Charles Gene Suite, Bilal Da DJ, Uncle Partytime, Your Uncle Garry, Kat Upendi and The Dig Experience,” the organisers said in a stamen announcing the postponement of the festival yesterday..
However the organisers added that this festival will further contribute to supporting local talent and creative SMMEs during a difficult time where the pandemic has affected the creative industry economically.
“While this Festival of Museums, in its inaugural year, is focused at highlighting the museum offerings of the James Hall Museum of Transport, in the coming years, this festive commemoration of heritage will see different museums of the City Joburg participating and presenting their curated experiences to the public.
The core objectives of this museum programme are focused at:
• Promoting and marketing the museums of the City as Joburg’s places of attraction
• Providing creative SMMEs opportunities for market access and industry exposure
• Revitalising the City through through quality and impactful Arts, Culture and Heritage programmes
• Contributing to the development of youth in creative industries through relevant
public programmes,” the City of Johannesburg said.