7 April 2009
The arts come alive in April when the Western Cape sings to the sounds of
the many festivals that make the province a home for innovative and exciting
cultural affairs. Hot on the heels of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival
is the annual Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK) now in its 15th year that
takes place in Oudtshoorn this week.
The Absa KKNK is a performing and visual arts festival that takes place
annually during the April school holidays. âThis is the kind of event that
enriches the local economy, community and general art scene. It deserves our
support and government is pleased to be a part of bringing artistic and
cultural diversity together on a platform of this nature,â said Western Cape
Premier, Lynne Brown.
The Western Cape governmentsâ sponsorships for the jazz and KKNK festivals are
in the region of R2,5 million and comprise financial, programme and logistical
support. By contributing to and supporting the objectives of these festivals,
the provincial government is holistically promotes economic and cultural
development.
The KKNK is one of the Western Capes largest events. This is reflected in
the number of tickets sold and the average number of tickets bought per group.
It is estimated that almost 12 316 visitor groups visits the KKNK.
The KKNK has a great impact on the local economy due to the amount of people it
attracts every year. The total number of tickets sold during KKNK 2008 was 107
151, which amounted to a R7,1 million cash injection into the local economy. It
is also highlights the areas attraction as a tourist region, particularly for
domestic travellers from areas such as the Western Cape and Northern Cape, who
make the largest contribution to tourist spending. As a whole the festival has
a substantial economic impact on Oudtshoorn, generating R30 million into the
area.
Apart from financial support for the KKNK, the Provincial Government of the
Western Cape (PGWC) is also assisting efforts to deepen the levels of
participation from a broad cross section of Afrikaans speakers in the
region.
In addition, a range of government services and programmes will be rolled out
during the course of the festival. These include stalls set up by the
Department of Agriculture and a workshop on Broad Based Black Economic
Empowerment (BBBEE), hosted by the Department of Economic Development and
Tourism.
Visitors can expect a range of workshops on cultural aspects (music and
dance), technical equipment (sound boosters), cultural management and
information workshops that speak to the cultural diversity and historical
heritage of South Africans rich languages.
For more information on the programme of events at the KKNK, please visit:
http://eng.kknk.co.za/
Enquiries:
Mansoor Jaffer
Tel: 021 483 8706
Cell: 084 661 5216
E-mail: mjaffer@pgwc.gov.za
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government
7 April 2009
Source: Western Cape Provincial Government (http://www.capegateway.gov.za/)
