BY PHUMZILE NDLOVU
MBABANE– Applications now open.
Secondary schools, high schools, and out-of-school art and youth clubs in Eswatini are invited to showcase their performances and art at the European Union (EU) Bushfire Schools Festival Open Day on Thursday, May 30, 2024.
The Schools Festival welcomes applicants in the field of music, contemporary and traditional dance, drama, poetry, technology, visual arts and craft.
Application forms are now available on the MTN Bushfire website, www.bush-fire.com/schools-festival. Please note that only online submissions will be accepted. Participants must be between the ages of 13-30. Applications close 20th March 2024.
Supported by the European Union, this year’s Schools Festival Open Day explores the theme “Art Effect: The Transformative Power of Artistic Expression in the Creative Economy”, which focuses on creativity as a catalyst for positive social change. It encourages entrepreneurial pursuits in the arts and cultivates sustainable futures for youth. This theme also underscores the EU Bushfire Schools Festival’s commitment to nurturing artistic talent, fostering cultural dialogue, and inspiring young individuals to use their creativity for the betterment of themselves and their communities.
Applications for performances must clearly embody the theme, expressing the power of art as a catalyst for positive socio-economic change.
Established in 2010 to support the creation of a national arts curriculum in public schools, the EU Bushfire Schools Festival facilitates creative performances, workshops, and interactive outreach programmes for students as well as teachers. Since inception, it has hosted 9 720 students, 616 teachers, and 63 facilitators.
The festival will be a two-day event, with a Workshop Day on Wednesday, 29th May 2024, and an Open Day on Thursday, 30th May, 2024. The Open Day is a blended peer performance-based programme which, in collaboration with the European Union, is curated around a theme used to impart positive social messaging to students and teachers.
Applications must be submitted online. Applicants are advised to read the terms and conditions carefully. Applications must be accompanied by an audition video or up to three images of applicants’ artwork/craft. Videos and images must be emailed to strandsassistant@bush-fire.com or sent via WhatsApp to Monique Landsberg 7829 6515.
For more information, please contact Maswati Dludlu on 7670 5343 or email schools@bush-fire.com.
The EU Bushfire Schools Festival will cater for meals, transport, and other festival packages involved in the programme.
