Sotheby’s International Realty Knysna are hosting the Knysna Arts Festival for the second consecutive year.

Arrangements are proceeding smoothly for this year’s festival which is to take place from the 1st to the 9th of October 2016, during the school holidays.

Sotheby’s International Realty principal, Peter Mare, expressed his enthusiasm for the festival citing the opportunity to support local artists as well as to direct the financial proceeds of the event to some very worthwhile local charities and needs.

“We have appointed a larger team of organisers for the 2016 event to ensure that we can seamlessly grow the Knysna Arts Festival into a major destination event without it losing its Knysna flavour or independence,” commented Mare. “We are privileged to now have the experience of playwright and producer, Ingrid Wylde, to assist with the Performing Arts, and 2 Heads Advertising driving the marketing effort. The underlying philosophy of this Arts Festival is to stimulate locally produced art whilst also supporting the greater Knysna community” concluded Mare.

The arts festival commences with a gala evening on the opening night, 1st October, 2016.

Thereafter the festival will host a full week of art displays, workshops and exhibitions. The performing arts will include theatre, cabaret, dance and live music whilst the Knysna Fringe will present a host of discussions, lectures and historical talks. There will also be contributions from various Knysna schools.

Owen Roberts, the Knysna Arts Festival manager and creative force behind the revival of the festival, commented that, “The 2016 festival will be congregated around a central hub in town with a viewer friendly programme. There will be return shows from last year, by popular demand. Well known national performer, Marc Lottering, will present our main performing arts event. As before, shows and exhibitions will be hosted at venues throughout Knysna as well”.

Proceeds of the festival will be distributed to the Knysna Education Trust, the Options Pregnancy Crisis centre, the Youth for Christ ‘Hands and Hearts’ Programme and the Paradigm Shift Entrepreneurship Training centre.

More detailed information will appear in the media as well as on www.knysnaartsfestival.co.za. Tickets will be available on-line via I-Ticket from the beginning of September 2016, or at all Sotheby’s International Realty ofiices.

Press release by The 2016 Knysna Arts Festival Team.