Sipho the Squirrel's festival experience

My name is Sipho Harry Oreo, I'm a Squirrel. This year is my first time at the Grahamstown Arts Festival and today I went on my first tour of the Fest. I am still overwehlmed by the experience from the shows I got to see, the artists I met and my shoe shopping spree. Grahamstown is really cold and wet and I needed shoes to get me nice and warm enough to walk the festival's buzzing streets but unfortunatley I couldn't get my shoe size, I almost died when Bongi tried to drown me in a pond but I survived, i'm a Squerrel after all. The amount of talent I saw has inspired me and ignited an art appreciation flame that i never knew was there. I cannot wait for tomorrow's experience and I know from now on I'm not going to miss a single year of the Arts Fest.

Posted by

Akhona Valashiya

Welcome to Winter School, FJPs

FJP at National Arts Festival simply AMAZ!NG

The future Journalists Programme (FJP) is having the second event on its calendar, the Winter School: Experiential Learning at National Arts Festival, from 30th June- 10 July 2011.

Theme
This is a Writing Workshop, which kick-started today, and promises as a lot of fun-learning for the 20 second year journalism students from 10 institutions around the country. They will be taught the nuances of writing and will get real practical experience as they will cover events around the National Arts festival. This includes reporting on some of the productions showcased on the Fringe programme, attending thought provoking Think!Fest talks and capturing the general festivities of this exciting time.

TRAINER
FJPs are trained by Rhodes JMS graduate, Nicolene Nyx McLean, who holds a Bjorn and an MA in Journalism and Media Studies. Constantly on a caffein-overdose and energy-overdrive, Nyx has planted the 'fest seed' to the group.

EXPLORING
This is certainly a time for FJPs to grasp the fundamentals of art writing, and most importantly, an opportunity for them to test their abilities and push themselves to be the go-getter journalists they aspire to be!

MUPPET COMFORT
In the midst of the madness, hopper-catching and show critique, there is a comforting love, oozing out from FJP's newest member, Sipho the Squirrel! Akhona has been babysitting him for the day, and more reports on their adventure will follow shortly.

FOLLOW
Also follow FJP festival report on Twitter (@FJPtweets) and FaceBook (FJP Coordinator).

Another round of FJPs and Highway Africa: National Arts Festival by Bhekimpilo Dungeni

After almost three months of being apart, the FJPs are back together again, rejuvinated and full of fresh energy to brave this year's Grahamstown National Arts Festival. With so many shows lined up in the Fringe programme this year, all one can do is wonder how are we going to contend this winter cold in Grahamstown, to put together the best reviews for Cue and Highway Africa as a whole.

With the first shows already taking stage, I had the opportunity to attend the first show on the FJPs line up, called Mafeking Road, which features Andrew Laubscher and Mathew Lewis, as they combine physical theathre and comic-style acting to create this unique, fresh, and groovy stage performance.

The show is simply a breakdown of Herman Charles Bosman short stories, which are churned into snippets that keep the audience glued to stage as they try to see the story unfold, and run through parts that take you back and fourth in Bosman's story world. A classic performance indeed, that bears so much local flavour and an abundant spew of creativity.

By Bhekimpilo Dungeni

Festival: The Day Before

The streets stir with pending activity. Roving eyes pick the choicest spots to put up posters, while other inquisitive ones peek curiously at the events they display. Tired vendors with money bags - empty, but hopeful - mark out their stalls. Coffee shops churn out rich aromas, tempting passers-by out of the crisp cold. The harsh June breeze whips through the streets and up to the matriarchal Rhodes. At the aged and unassuming Adamson House, the Future Journalists arrive and settle in.

FJP....Thumbs UP!!!!!!

It is of greatest pleasure to inform you all that after the FJP winter school the University of Fort Hare's Business communications proffesor (prof B.K. Sibanda) found interest in the reports that we gave as the participants. He took it into action...went to the department's store room and found two apple computers that were bought in 2006 which were used only ONCE and put them into good use. We now have our own little documentary productions which we edited ourselves with the help of mr. Phakama Sibanda who guided us through the editing process (reminding Portia and I some stuff we had forgotten) To think that for the past 5years there's been equipment that hasnt been used just gives me a headache! Had it not beeen for FJP and our very enthusiastic proffesor..we would never have discovered the treasure that was right under our noses! THANKS FJP!!!!!!