PEN Afrikaans and PEN South Africa, local centres of PEN International, the leading international authors’ association aimed at promoting and defending literature and freedom of expression, have noted with concern that the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has effectively withdrawn its funding support to several arts festivals across South Africa, without notice or justification, and has since failed to engage with them on the topic.
This has led to financial difficulties for well-known and established festivals such as the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, Suidoosterfees in Cape Town, and the influential literary festival, Open Book Festival. These festivals, like many others, serve as pillars of literary and artistic excellence, providing a platform for meaningful dialogue and reflection.
As associations representing writers who contribute to and are dependent on the arts and culture eco-system that these festivals serve, we see the arbitrary and sudden withdrawal of government support as damaging and ill advised. It shows a disregard for these festivals as the critical role-players in the local arts and culture sector that they are.
Arts and literary festivals promote literary and artistic expression, as well as social cohesion by creating spaces for dialogue and reflection. These festivals bring a significant economic investment to the towns, cities and provinces where they are held. They also benefit individual authors and artists by providing opportunities to showcase their work and earn an income.
In 2024/2025, four major arts festivals alone presented 761 works across 2380 performances, directly employing more than 6000 artists and paying over R34 million in fees. A press release by the arts festivals highlighted that many of these works went on to tour other festivals and theatres, providing more jobs and opportunities.
The arts festivals have established themselves as bona fide stakeholders that serve the creative community and audiences alike. They deserve the attention of Minister Gayton McKenzie, and we implore the minister to respond to their urgent call for a meeting to provide clarity on the way forward. There is much at stake.
It is the responsibility of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture to create a conducive climate and regulatory environment in which the arts can flourish. We urge the Department to fulfil this duty as it is to the benefit of our society.