Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie. (Photo: Gallo Images / Frennie Shivambu) 
A collective of South African arts festivals has issued a statement requesting an urgent meeting with Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie about festival funding.
The festivals want to address funding uncertainty with its looming potential impact on jobs and opportunities in the sector as a result of McKenzie withholding funds.
“We are not seeking confrontation, we wish to set the record straight and engage constructively with government about the future of our sector, particularly after receiving neither funding nor clarity about funding over the past year,” National Arts Festival Board chairperson, Professor Siphiwo Mahala, said.
On 18 September, McKenzie alleged that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture had “paid millions for some of these concerts during the year of Covid, no concerts were held and no money was returned, no reports were given whatsoever. We intend to give more money to festivals but it will be irresponsible if we don’t ask the hard questions first.”
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The festivals emphasised in their statement that all public funding received was subject to rigorous reporting, with tranches released only after submission of satisfactory documentation, including annual financial statements.
“All of these reports are in the possession of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture. Festivals played a vital role during Covid-19, pivoting to online events, in-home residencies, webinars and workshops, ensuring that artists and audiences remained connected and that artists were able to earn some income during a financially devastating period,” they said.
The economic and cultural impact of festivals is significant. In 2024/25, four major arts festivals alone presented 761 works across 2,380 performances, directly employing more than 6,000 artists and paying more than R34-million in fees. Many of these works went on to tour other festivals and theatres, providing more jobs and opportunities.
Festivals are supported by a mix of donors, private sector partners, development agencies and the government.
Cornelia Faasen, CEO of the Nasionale Afrikaanse Teater-inisiatief, highlighted the importance of government support for the arts: national policy and funding remain essential for sustaining the sector, supporting livelihoods and enabling innovation and cultural exchange across the country.
Christo van der Rheede, chairperson of the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, recalled when President Nelson Mandela visited that festival in 2001, highlighting its ability to bring people together:
“That Minister Gayton McKenzie shares the same vision as President Mandela, must now be put into practice. This means investment in festivals, which will yield rewards for the country and its people every year, and will make a significant contribution to the vision of a united South Africa.”
Mahala called for “urgent action” to resolve the impasse.
“The festivals collectively call for engagement with the minister and the department to clarify policy, rebuild trust and ensure that the needs of festivals, artists and the communities (who benefit from the economic impact of festivals) are addressed in current and future budget cycles. We have sent a letter to the minister requesting such engagement and we await his timely response.” DM