Cape Town Festival to launch new busking project to support artists

Posted by David Henning on 3 June 2022

With the Covid pandemic having put struggling artists under further economic pressure, a ‘Beyond Busking Project’ will be launched to revive the Cape Town Festival and support local musicians.

Former Cape Town Festival CEO, Yusuf Ganief, will team up with The Castle of Good Hope, Ariva Arts Foundation and Western Cape Department of Arts and Culture to launch auditions for the Beyond Busking Project at the Castle on 15 June 2022.

‘We have a wealth of talent performing on our streets in the Western Cape. With an upliftment program like the Beyond Busking project, we will identify talent and provide training in songwriting, vocal training, stage presence, assistance in musical arrangement and equipment upgrades,’ Ganief said.

‘This exciting journey of transformation for a few selected buskers will be filmed and shared widely as an example of how baby steps in the area of skills development and opportunity can change our destiny profoundly.’

Public art, street art and street performance or busking are both welcomed and encouraged by the City of Cape Town’s Arts and Culture Branch.

‘There is a dire need to uplift the image and perceptions of buskers in South Africa and create greater platforms beyond the streets of Cape Town,’ Ganief added.

Both Ganief and Calvin Gilfellan, CEO of the Castle of Good Hope, see the value of supporting and nurturing street artists in a sustainable way.

‘With the impact of Covid and our heavily burdened economy, the Beyond Busking Projects provide economic relief and inspiration to our local busking artists. The Castle will assist our local artists with a training and mentorship venue and an annual venue space for the Cape Town Busking Festival in November 2022,’ said Gilfellan.

The Cape Town Festival kicks off the Beyond Busking Project with auditions at the Castle of Good Hope on the 15th of June 11am – 3pm.

Buskers will give a 15-20 min performance to a panel of judges. Those who are selected will enter into a programme of transformation through songwriting, musical arrangement in studio and recording original material, master classes in stage presence, vocal training, and exposure to radio and media. These performers will be filmed as they transform themselves with the help of a highly skilled team of professionals.

For further information to apply for the auditions, please contact Thabo 084 894 6890 or send your info, bio and contact details [email protected] or [email protected].

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