National Arts Festival 2026 Call for Participation

The National Arts Festival, Africa’s most significant annual cultural event, offers a robust platform for artists to showcase work in theatre, dance, music, visual arts and more. For the 2026 edition (25 June – 5 July) artists can apply to the Curated Main Programme (highly competitive), the open‑access Fringe Programme, the Village Green trading space, or to host Independent Venues and Associated Programmes. Applications require a proposal package that includes artistic concept notes, biographies, budgets and technical riders. The Curated Programme call is currently closed, while the Fringe and Village Green calls open annually with dates announced each year. Participation provides extensive visibility, media coverage, industry networking and the chance to present work to national and international audiences.

festival visibility, media coverage, industry networking, venue access, potential trading space (Village Green)

Open to South African and international artists; no explicit age or nationality limits; works must meet festival standards and safety regulations.