The National Arts Festival returns to Makhanda on June 25, 2026 with 270+ shows and Africa's first AI-informed opera, asking what Ubuntu means now.
SOUTH AFRICA · CULTURE
Key Facts
—When and where: The National Arts Festival runs in Makhanda, South Africa, from 25 June to 5 July 2026, its 52nd edition.
—Big scale: The programme features more than 270 productions and around 2,000 artists across theatre, dance, music and visual art.
—The theme: This year asks “What does Ubuntu mean in an age of algorithms?”, weighing community against technology.
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