From festivals and skills development to recreating inner city art and a creative hub, the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex (MBTC) unveiled a host of projects to embolden the Bay’s arts industry with the launch of its 2025/2026 programme on Tuesday.
A number of Nelson Mandela Bay’s theatre, music and film sector creatives attended the event hosted at the theatre on the corner of John Kani and Winston Ntshona roads in Central.
In addition to township tours, funding of a variety of artist development programmes as well as hosting jazz and performing arts festivals, a process plan for a Cultural Tourism Hive is also under way.
And the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex has since issued a tender for a feasibility and economic viability study for the development of the Kani, Ntshona, Fugard Performing Arts Precinct in Central.
Once completed, the precinct is envisioned to have a jazz museum, craft exhibition, restaurant, Walk of Fame Pavement along John Kani Road, an Ubuhlanti (Kraal) with sculptures and an amphitheatre as well as repurposing the taxis artwork.
The project also aims to reclaim and repurpose some derelict buildings to house some of the attractions.
Internationally acclaimed Gqeberha playwright, theatre director and actor Monde Wani said having an institution like the theatre complex was important for the growth of the performing arts in the city.
“The plans they presented are very positive because they respond exactly to the challenges that we have, one of the biggest of which is funding.
“It makes it easier for performing artists to be able to produce quality plays,” Wani said.
Gqeberha: The Empire actor Anele Penny was also in attendance.
The 44-year-old plays the part of Sizwe Banzi in the iconic theatre production, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, as well as playing a role in The Island written by the late Athol Fugard, John Kani and the late Winston Ntshona.
Both plays will be performed at the National Arts Festival in 2025 at the Isakhono Theatre.
The Kwazakhele resident said attempts being made by the theatre complex to keep theatre alive made him happy.
“The MBTC has been trying to make sure that the light in theatre never goes out.
“Ours is to also assist in keeping that light on. I am at peace with their efforts, because there is nothing that I love more than development,” Penny said.
Internationally acclaimed New Brighton veteran jazz musician Thandeka Marwanqa, 62, from the music group Jazz Divaz, welcomed that veteran musicians were not forgotten in the MBTC plans.
She also praised the Process Plan for a Cultural Tourism Hive.
“We are really excited, this is good news, we have been waiting a long time for things to happen as veterans, we are hoping for the celebration of people that have fallen [Jazz Museum and Uhambo'.
“Like the Rev Patrick Pasha to be remembered as well as for us to be recognised before we die.
“It is a beautiful vision to have tourists, students seeing our history, our pride in Gqeberha in such a precinct.
“It would be an honour to celebrate our achievements, we will be praying for it to happen,” Marwanqa said
MBTC chief executive Monde Ngonyama said the institution’s provincial Cultural, Creative Arts Industry Development Strategy would focus about 80% on Nelson Mandela Bay then Buffalo City and the OR Tambo district.
The Herald
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