Sophiatown Arts Festival 2023: Gathering the Ghosts is back!
BY CityLIfe Arts Writer
The Sophiatown Arts Festival is back and this time it has an interesting programme that features an arts feast for audiences.
The festival kicks off on Friday, with an afternoon programme devoted to the youth. History alongside VR, photo workshops, a Poetry in the Garden-session showcases local talent.
On Saturday, 11th, from 1pm onwards, an outdoor market awaits the public, with a focus on books, arts, fashion and food. Book publishers, sellers and curators such as Black Ark, Book Circle Capital and Soweto Book Café will be present. The community market will line the streets around the centre, so come early.
“We begin our programme by opening our specially commissioned writers and photographic exhibition which features six young photographers, all of whom are graduates of the Market Photo Workshop, who produced work in response to this year’s festival theme. It is on show in the historic Dr Xuma house, one of the few original Sophiatown houses that survived the forced removals. Alongside this show, an exhibition of the Kofifi Digital Archive displays a large collection of photographs and stories around Sophiatown, collected over many years.
The Sophiatown children’s orchestra will present their beats following weeks of performance workshops. Our commemorative walk through the streets of Sophiatown promises to be special. Guests that prefer not to walk will be deeply engaged in a playback theatre experience with DFL,” the organisers said in a statement released ahead of the festival.
Sophiatown would be not Sophiatown without its style: As a highlight of the festival, the OG Fashion Show presents vintage fashion and style by the people who shaped Kofifi, as Sophiatown is affectionately known: Sophiatown elders who will be swaying an ode to this special hood, and its ongoing contribution to the South African fashion landscape. Food, a taste of ginger, poetry, and the music sets of Adelle Nqeto and headlining artist Thandi Ntuli will ignite the night.
A children’s art corner, workshops and readings will cater for the small ones throughout the festival.
“We are grateful for the basic support of the National Arts Council! All activities are free of charge. Donations to support this unique, community-driven arts interventions are highly welcome: paypal.me/aseriousplayground For more information or if you want to support, contact: www.sophiatownartsfestival.co.za yavini@sophiatownartsfestival.co.za & katharina@sophiatownartsfectival.co.za.”
Programme details
Friday, 10 February 2023
3pm
Sophiatown History Introduction
3.30pm Sophiatown VR
Experience for Youth
4pm Images of Sophiatown –
A conversation
5pm Documentary Screening
5.30-7pm Poetry in the Garden
Saturday, 11 February 2023
1pm-late Fashion, Food & Book
Market
2pm Sophiatown VR Experience
3pm Opening of two exhibitions:
Kofifi Digital Archive and
Words & Sounds of
Sophiatown
4pm Street Parade
5.30pm Return to the museum garden
6pm OG Vintage Fashion Show
Evening live gigs
7.30pm Adelle Nqeto live
8.30pm Thandi Ntuli live
Venue & Departure Point
Trevor Huddleston Memorial Centre
73, Toby Street
Sophiatown
Johannesburg