Annual Lantern Festival to Light Up Clanwilliam Next Month

A performance event that is one of the Western Cape's best kept secrets will once again light up the skies when the Clanwilliam Arts Project takes place this September. This will be the fourteenth time that approximately 40 facilitators from Magnet Theatre, the University of Cape Town's Drama Department, School of Fine Arts and College of Music, and talented individuals descend on Clanwilliam for a week of multidisciplinary arts magic.

The seven days will be filled with workshops for school learners in drama, dance, music, mask-making, lantern-making and art, all of which culminates in a lantern-lit procession and performance of a /Xam! narrative to members of the community. This year the story is called THE GIRL, THE RAIN AND THE FROGS. Magnet Theatre will depart for Clanwilliam on 31 August, and the final event is on 7 September.

Magnet Theatre is grateful for the support from the ATKV, Rand Merchant Bank and Zoo Biscuit who responded so generously to our call for funding for the T-shirts for the participating children this year. Magnet Theatre also wishes to thank the National Lottery Distrubution Trust Fund, Rand Merchant Bank, the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust, the HCI Foundation, the Distell Foundation, the Jacob Levy Trust, Cliffe Dekker Hoffmeyer Inc., the Johannesburg Repertory Company, the Milagro Foundation, Rooibos Limited and the University of Cape Town, without whom they would not be able to sustain their programmes.

Last year, 3 000 people from the community watched this celebration of the heritage of the area. Do not miss out on the inspirational Clanwilliam Arts Project this year. Capetonians are encouraged to come up for the weekend, long enough to enjoy Clanwilliam, the preparations, be part of the parade and witness the performance at the showgrounds. For more information, please call Nomzamo on 021 448 3436.