Patience Bambalele

Patience Bambalele

In an effort to convey the message about HIV-Aids to the youth, a festival featuring dance, theatre, visual arts and poetry is to be staged in Newtown, Johannesburg.

Known as the "When Life Happens Arts and Culture Festival", the event will take place at various venues in Newtown from December 3 to 14.

The programme starts on December 3 with an art exhibition at Museum Africa featuring works by a group of emerging artists.

Artists taking part in the exhibition will include Phumzile Buthelezi, Happy Dlame, Michel Mhlungu, Yvonne Harvey, Vusi Mfupi, Themba Mofokeng and Mandla Manana.

The works that will be on display show the artists' thoughts on the current HIV-Aids situation in South Africa.

Also on display will be all the submissions received for the 2008 When Life Happens Festival Poster Competition.

Pupils from grades 7 to 12 have been submitting self-designed and hand-made HIV-Aids awareness posters that communicate the message to the youth.

Winners will be announced on December 3 at Museum Africa.

Poetry lovers will enjoy the spoken word on December 4 at the Bassline, featuring DJ Khenzero, Fifi, Poker, Nomsa Mazwai featuring Ntsiki Mazwai.

There will be cutting-edge contemporary dancing at the Dance Factory on December 5 and 6, featuring the country's best dancers.

Last year's Standard Bank Young Artist for Dance, Dada Masilo, will present a piece called Dying, Dying, Dead.

Adapted and performed in collaboration with Bafikile Sedibe and Songozezo Mcilizeli, this piece was originally created by Masilo while she was studying in Brussels.

Also on December 5 and 6, people who are interested in digital art will be able to enjoy works in this genre on Mary Fitzgerald Square space. There will also be a reading and discussion forum at Xarra Books from 2.30pm on December 6.