The Vrystaat Arts Festival is one of the key arts festivals on the African continent, offering national and international work in a range of is genres for the past 23 years.

The Vrystaat Arts Festival’s vision is centred on the principle of ‘One festival, many stories,’ with its mission to support the development and presentation of great art in the Free State for all.

The festival is the first and only South African cultural entity to follow the Khoi-San protocol, recognising the First Nations people and traditional owners of the land in public platforms and the festival programme.

Over the last decade, it has become one of South Africa’s most international and multi-lingual festivals, supporting and presenting a wide variety of work by both established and up-and-coming artists as well as providing space for community arts initiatives and student works.

The festival takes place at the Bloemfontein campus of the University of the Free State from 11 to 15 July 2023. You can view the programme here. And you can purchase tickets at Webtickets. 

A day pass costs R20 per person. Children under five get free admission. A week pass costs R60 per person.

Don't forget to support the Vrynge festival!

The Vrystaat Arts Festival values diversity, respect, and excellence. Through the vrynge, it aims to create an environment that inspires freedom of practice, supports innovation, encourages creative industries, and builds capacity.

vrynge’s programme includes literature, visual arts, film, fashion, architecture, music, dance, performance art, interdisciplinary and experimental art, site-specific work, and theatre, as well as space for innovative food and -drink, and other creative industry practices.

It offers emerging artists the opportunity to advance social cohesion and boost economic development in the Free State. Artists will not only showcase their art but also have the opportunity to engage and learn from professional local and international artists through workshops that will be hosted during vrynge.

Literature lovers are also invited!

The Arts Markets are a major source of income for the festival and a huge economic injection for the Free State. Around 400 stalls are supported, ranging from handmade craft, food and beer to a variety of community groups. Stall owners come from all over South Africa and increasingly from other African countries, with a very high standard maintained by the festival organisers and the University of the Free State. A significant number of festival patrons attend the festival for the art markets alone.