Much of the action at the National Arts Festival, which runs from 27 June to 7 July in Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), takes place on the stages but there’s a lot going on off-stage too, with an exciting programme of thought-provoking talks and workshops to enrich and complement every Festival-goer’s experience. Interactive audience experiences are spread across ‘artist walkabouts’, where the artist, curator or an art expert leads a discussion around an exhibition; visual art workshops; post-show discussions; and dozens of talks and discussions in the Critical Consciousness, Creativate Digital Arts Festival and Wordfest programmes. Critical Consciousness Critical Consciousness is an open platform for debate and considered opinion and features talks on subjects that vary from intellectual property for the creative industry to politics and activism to music listening sessions. Events on this year’s Critical Consciousness programme include: A three-part DISTELL SCRIPTWRITING WORKSHOP, … [Read more...]