Arts
Vryfees returns celebrating arts, culture, and milestones─── HEIDRÈ MALGAS 09:59 Sun, 30 Jun 2024
“Our programme is world-class this year and it shows in the sales as well.”
The Vrystaat Art’s Festival, better known as the Vryfees, one of the Free State’s biggest art festivals, returns from 2-6 July to the University of the Free State.
The event promises five days of amazing performances, stunning visual art displays, and literary sessions, uniting artists and audiences.
‘It’s quite a significant milestone for us as a festival as well’
“What I'm personally quite excited for is the MTN and UJ Reconnect exhibition that will be at our festival this year at the Centenary Hall and it’s the first time MTN is bringing us an exhibition since 2007, so it's quite a significant milestone for us as a festival as well,” said Michael Garbett, Free State Arts Festival’s festival director.
He says they’re also so proud of local artists Ornsbach für Godot. It will be the first international Afrikaans debut that the Samuel Beckett Trust recognises. So that's also a big world stage premiere for the Vryfees.
“Our programme is world-class this year and it shows in the sales as well,” he said. So what I'm looking forward to the most is everyone attending the festival.”
He says there are a ton of new up-and-coming artists that they really believe are going to make waves in the creative and cultural industry. Some include Anke Meyer with her “Hoor jy die water”, Sibahle with her “Khanya and her Golden Dream”.
“We also have Jani Marais in ‘Die Eks-Boyfriend Uitverkoping’. Jani is a good performer and someone who I believe we should be looking out for because she's definitely going to be a household name in future. We also have ‘Livin' Leonard's Gun’ by Lorenzo Dampies.”
Garbett says he believes a festival is a platform for many dialogues. The programme is a testament to this because of the Literature Festival. There are a variety of critically engaging discussions throughout the entire week.
Tickets are available from webtickets.co.za and if you don't want to go to web tickets online, you can also go to any Pick n Pay store.
“If you want to talk with the team, I would also recommend you come to our office at the Preller Square Shopping Centre. We also sell tickets to you directly,” he added.
