Celebration of women

Pictured are the cast members of AbFab Drag show, which forms part of the Artscape Women and Humanity Arts Festival. From left are Kat Gilardi, Jayde Kay Johnson, Angel Lalamore and Manilla Von Teez.

This year, the Artscape Women and Humanity Arts Festival will celebrate women from all walks of life under the theme of transformation and healing through arts. Now in its 12th year, the festival will focus on humanity, women and disability by addressing the challenges faced in society.

The festival takes place until Saturday August 18, with various stage productions, workshops, a Women’s Day programme and the annual Humanity Walk.

The South African Faith and Family Institute (SAFFI), Woman Zone and Artscape Theatre coordinated and facilitated the Humanity Walk, which was to take place from the Schotschekloof civic centre in Bo-Kaap to the Artscape Theatre on Women’s Day yesterday, August 9. The theme this year was Uniting in Faith.

This year also marks the centenary celebration of struggle activist Albertina Sisulu who in 1956 was among those who led more than 20 000 women in a march to the union buildings in Pretoria to protest against the carrying of passes by women.

The Artscape Council chairperson, Princess Celenhle Dlamini, said they are calling on all women to celebrate the work and sacrifices made to build a democratic society.

“We will also be honouring Ruth First, an anti-apartheid activist, scholar and journalist who was assassinated using a parcel bomb on August 17, 1982,” she said.

Artscape CEO Marlene le Roux said this year’s festival would be dedicated to iconic women who led the struggle as well as modern day “she-roes”.

For more information on shows and events, visit www.artscape.co.za/artscape-women-humanity-arts-festival-2018/