Visitors to this year’s Suidoosterfees running to 4 May at Artscape Theatre are in for a special treat with the free screening of Yazeed Kamaldien’s documentary Lief en Leed Mamre: Ons is wat ons is (We are what we are) that showcases Artscape Rural Outreach in Mamre last October, in collaboration with Lief and Leed, an NGO for persons with disabilities by persons with disabilities.
Kunstetreffers Concert unites the arts and disability community at Suidoosterfees.
A special screening of the documentary in the Theatre Well on Friday 2 May at 19h00 will be followed by the mind-blowing Kunstetreffers Concert in the Artscape Theatre at 20:30. Other screenings at the Suidoosterfees will be held in the Isibaya Room at 20:00.
Lief en Leed Mamre: Ons is wat ons is
‘Yazeed Kamaldien recorded the documentary in Mamre during Artscape’s first annual Rural Outreach, in collaboration with Lief and Leed, since the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to it for four years. Over the last 20 years Artscape has taken the iconic theatre to rural communities by partnering with a local NGO there, engaging the local municipality and schools to use their venues, transforming them into mini Artscape theatres by a world-class technical team who spends weeks working with local talent. In this way marginalised citizens also get a taste of a professional theatre,’ says Marlene le Roux, Artscape CEO.
The 16 rural towns which benefited from this great empowerment initiative so far are: Wellington (2004), Saron (2005), Vredendal (2006), Bredasdorp (2008), George (2009), Ceres (2010), Caledon (2011), Vredenburg (2012), Robertson (2013), Heidelberg (2014), Worcester (2015), Cederberg (2016), Grabouw (2017), Vredenburg (2018), Hawston (2019), and Mamre (2024).
The Artscape Rural Outreach Programme, brainchild of Le Roux, culminates in the well-loved Kunstetreffers Concert in the ‘mini Artscape Theatre’ with world-class lighting led by world-renowned lighting designer Faheem Bardien, sound, props and costumes. Local artists get to perform with professional artists from Artscape’s associate companies, i.e. Cape Town City Ballet, the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra and Jazzart on an equal footing, proceeds to the benefit of the partnering NGO.
‘In my view there is no high art or low art. All art is art, be it ballet, opera, symphonic music, rap music, hip-hop or jazz!’ says Le Roux.
Kunstetreffers Concert
To underline Artscape’s seriousness about their commitment to accessibility for people with disabilities, Artscape/Lief en Leed is now presenting the vibrant Kunstetreffers Concert at this year’s Suidoosterfees on Friday 2 May, with a bigger line-up of well-known artists, including award-winning opera star and former TV presenter Lynelle Kenned, Prof Dizu Plaatjies (indigenous music specialist), Niel Rademan (former head of the Suidoosterfees), dancers from the Cape Town City Ballet and Dance for All (Artscape’s associate companies), renowned jazz trumpeter Ian Smith with members of the amazing Delft Big Band, riel dancers from Clanwilliam, alongside two rising stars from previous rural outreach programmes: singer Chane Hugo from Parow who uses a wheelchair and dancer Marvin Zoutman from Saron, both proudly representing the next generation of artists shaped by this transformative programme as well as some of the Mamre/Atlantis artists, including Nikita Scott (using a wheelchair) and rapper Nashiefa Diederichs, giving them further exposure to a large audience and the renowned Artscape stage.
The documentary screening is free, but tickets for the Kunstetreffers Concert on 2 May is R100, of which part of the proceeds will go to Lief en Leed in support of their vision of a Centre for Excellence which will not only serve persons with disability but other marginalised people in the greater Mamre area as well. Readers who wish to buy a ticket in support of Lief en Leed, should deposit their ticket money (R100 per ticket) into Lief en Leed’s bank account (ref. Name and Kunstetreffers) at Nedbank, ‘Lief en Leed Klub vir Gestremdes’, Current Account number 123 869 6309; Swift Code: NEDSZAJJ, and email proof of payment to: Paul Arendse at E paularendse53@gmail.com.
LOTS of good reason to get to De Suidoosterfees, with its FULL programme of events and art displays to grab your attention. ENJOY!
WHAT: Lief en Leed Documentary Screening | Kunstetreffers Concert
WHERE: Artscape Theatre Centre, Foreshore, Cape Town 8001
WHEN: 20 April – 4 May 2025
TICKETS & BOOKING: See above
INFO: E simoneh@artscape.co.za | VISIT
PHOTO: From left is Paul Arendse (Lief en Leed Secretary – cerebral palsy), Dr Marlene le Roux (Artscape CEO – post-polio), Michael September (Lief en Leed Chairperson – cerebral palsy) and Daneline Swarts (Lief en Leed Treasurer -– hearing -impaired). Photo Credit: Jeremeo le Cordeur.
