This 20% increase in the number of applications has meant that the Festival has had to source new venues in a city already bursting at the seams, but the Albany Bowling Club, Oatlands School and St Aidan’s Chapel will no doubt fast become an integral part of the Festival landscape, and artists are increasingly making use of unusual and site-specific spaces.

Productions making their Grahamstown Fringe premiere are eligible for a coveted Standard Bank Ovation Award. A panel of judges, headed by the doyenne of arts criticism Adrienne Sichel, will give their stamp of approval to productions on the Fringe identified as being a cut above the rest. New winners are announced daily, and are given special stickers to add to their posters, to help guide audiences in the making of tough programming decisions. At the end of the Festival, stand-out productions from the list of Ovation Winners are presented with special awards. Ovation winners are also invited to submit proposals to be a part of the Arena platform the following year.

With an average of 295 productions showing on any one of the 11 Days of Amazing, across the Main, Arena and Fringe platforms, theatre-going audiences are spoilt for choice. But between street theatre, art exhibitions, fantastic musicians, pop-up restaurants and stalls, and the Village Green craft market; there’s plenty to keep anyone entertained.

The National Arts Festival runs from 28 June to 8 July in Grahamstown.

Bookings for this year’s 11 Days of Amazing open in May. Tickets are available through Computicket. Booking kits will be available from selected Standard Bank branches, selected Exclusive Books and Computicket branches from May. For more information on the programme, accommodation and travel options visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za. Also join the National Arts Festival group on Facebook for all the latest news, or follow us on Twitter.

The National Arts Festival is sponsored by Standard Bank, The National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, The Eastern Cape Government, The National Arts Council, City Press and M Net.