Join the city in celebrating Heritage Month
The intention of this initiative is to showcase the artists which the Arts and Living Culture Department has been mentoring with the intention of giving them exposure.
THE city’s Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) Unit is hosting a celebration to honour Heritage Month with Freedom of the Mind – a day-long, free family event to be held at the Bay of Plenty, Durban beachfront, next to the skateboard area to showcase the breadth of creative talent the city is nurturing in honour of Heritage Month.
All of the city’s PRC units will be showcasing their projects. The event will take place on the lawns from 10am until 8pm on Saturday, 5 September. The programme includes a battle of the deejays, a drumming session and open mic featuring hip-hop, jazz, sketch comedy, vernacular comedy, traditional dance, gospel and contemporary dance.
The work and projects of the Durban Art Gallery and Libraries Department will also be showcased. Other events will take place on the same day from South Beach to North Beach. Other PRC departments, such as Sports and Recreation, will have activities including volleyball, aerobics and children’s activities with jumping castles, storytelling and much more, provided by the unit at large.
The intention of the cultural day is to showcase the artists which the Arts and Living Culture Department has been mentoring with the intention of exposing them to external stakeholders, the public and potential employers, and for the performers and artists to gain experience and exposure. The Arts and Living Cultures Unit does not employ artists but facilitates arts development programmes such as poetry, dance, choral and traditional music, hip-hop, jazz, theatre and comedy by offering workshops, seminars, exhibitions and live performance opportunities.
“PRC is focused on social cohesion,” explained he head of PRC, Thembinkosi Ngcobo “We are blessed with world-class facilities and we want to encourage further activity in the city’s many public spaces, especially those that aren’t optimally utilised. We also want to foreground the city’s natural heritage and send out a message that our beaches, parks and open spaces needs preserving, protecting and promoting. So often the Durban population neglects the natural heritage, so we want to encourage Durbanites to become exposed to our public spaces and utilise them more and to become more familiar with the city’s diverse cultures and creative activities,” said Ngcobo.
A stage will be erected on the Bay of Plenty lawns for the day. There will be back-to-back entertainment taking place, to which the public is invited. There will also be installations, displays and stalls on the periphery showcasing some of the city’s cultural projects. Entry is free and all are welcome.
With its youth focus, it is an alcohol-free event so only soft drinks will be available. There will also be a mini-open air market.
The skateboard park alongside the lawns will also be operational, with BMX, cycle and skateboard enthusiasts doing demos and comps as part of the day’s programme.
For more information, contact Phumelele Myeza on 031 311 2410 / 031 311 2427/8 or phumelele.myeza@durban.gov.za.
