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“TAKING BACK OUR STREETS” In line with our annual theme, we also took back our streets during the Feast of the Clowns. We are extremely excited about the Feast of the Clowns. In 2007, like every previous year, it grew both in numbers and diversity. This was the first year that we ended with a surplus for which we are extremely grateful. God has been faithful in sustaining it. |
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The theme helped us to focus in great depth on issues affecting our streets and public life. We realized that it is a process that will get us to a place where we can truly say “we own our streets”, meaning “we own what happens on and to our streets, decisions taken affecting us”. It also means that we take full responsibility and ownership for helping reclaim and shape our streets and public life, as people of faith, and as citizens of the city. |
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We see whole, restored and empowered communities where people flourish in God’s presence |
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The artists, exhibitions, competitions, March of the Clowns, on ecumenical service on the Sunday, all contributed to exploring the theme. It was good to experience some of the artists starting to share our vision and starting off from them having a once-off contract with us, we explore possibilities of an on-going and sustained partnership. A highlight in 2007 was that we could host the Feast in partnership with the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. The Department of Arts and Culture in the CTMM was very supportive and our festival was also the official Tshwane festival leading up to the Gauteng Carnival two weeks later. We also participated in the parade during the Gauteng Carnival. After 8 years of successfully hosting the festival and seeing huge spin-offs in terms of awareness-raising, community-building, skill development, exposure to the arts, providing exposure for upcoming artists, and partnership development, we are at a new place now. In the next few years we want to deepen t he festival in a couple of ways: · deepening the use of clowning and satire in providing social commentary · training local community clowns · strengthening our partnership with local and provincial government · building a network with similar festivals elsewhere in the world, where faith, art and justice are integrated using this platform for more intentional faith dialogue and spiritual empowerment which lies at the heart of true regeneration Sophie Ndhlovu is our first full-time Feast Coordinator. Having been groomed in the Akanani Street Centre she ran a very successful festival in 2007 which she can only build upon! A city without festivals is a city without a soul. A city without laughter is a city without hope. A city without clowns will forget its frailty and bask in pride. The Feast of the Clowns will continue to bring laughter and a smile, to hear and broadcast the many cries of our people, and to create space for dialogue and encounter that will not leave us unchanged. |