The New Leader Set to Shape the Future of the National Arts Festival The National Arts Festival (NAF) has officially announced the appointment of Palesa Kadi as its new Chief Executive Officer, ushering in a new era for one of Africa's most significant cultural institutions. Kadi will officially assume the role on 1 August 2026 , following the conclusion of a successful 52nd National Arts Festival in Makhanda that attracted strong audiences and showcased hundreds of local and international artists.  For many within South Africa's cultural and creative industries, Kadi's appointment represents more than a leadership change, it signals the arrival of a seasoned cultural strategist with extensive experience across government, heritage, broadcasting regulation, communications and arts policy. Returning to her home province of the Eastern Cape, Kadi says leading the Festival is both a professional milestone and a deeply personal journey. "I have attended the National Art...

  THE KINGDOM OF UBUNTU MUSICAL REIMAGINED A must-see Afro-epic for a world in need of unity, 6 & 7 March, Artscape Opera House – all new music, all new characters and script.   Cape Town, South Africa -  The world feels increasingly divided - by power, politics, fear and fractured identities – so it is timely that a freshly reimagined Afro-epic rises to the stage to ask the question we can no longer avoid: What truly holds us together? The Kingdom of Ubuntu, opening at Artscape Theatre Centre in the Opera House on 6 and 7 March 2026, is not just a music concert.  It is a living allegory for our times - a cinematic, deeply African musical experience that places unity, responsibility and shared humanity at the centre of the story.  It will be presented as a semi-staged production for this South African production.   Created, written, directed and composed by acclaimed producer and cultural storyteller Elvis Sibeko, The Kingdom of Ubuntu brings toget...