Cape Town One City Festival

‘Voices in Transit’ opened on 16 March 2002 in Cape Town. It consisted of a range of cultural activities addressing issues of displacement, belonging and identity. Participants were mostly African refugees and exiles now resident in Cape Town, and, amongst other things, the project included a writers’ publication, dramatic performances and a visual art installation at the Cape Town Central Station. Various organisations such as the Cape Town Refugee Centre and the Community Arts Project were involved. Public Eye member Roger van Wyk was one of the chief organisers of the event and some funding was obtained through Public Eye.

Read a review on ArtThrob.

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Public Eye’s contribution to the festival in September 2000 took the form of two visual art exhibitions and one performance. Public Eye intern Mara Verna worked with Sheila Mahloane of Langa on ‘Good Times and Hard Times in Travelling’, a photo documentation of the journeys of a group of women from Langa. Artist Gregg Smith presented ‘Lovephones’, an interactive audio piece utilising the city’s public telephone system. Mark O’Donovan and performance group The Odd Enjinears took part in a street parade that formed part of the festival. Roger van Wyk and Robert Weinek co-ordinated these projects.

Public Eye facilitated funding by the Cape Town City Council of ‘Returning the Gaze’, a billboard and postcard project. This was initiated and run by cultural activist Zayd Minty of the arts organisation BLAC.

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The One City Many Cultures Festival, still running in 2018 as the Cape Town Festival, was first launched on 1 March 1999. The five day festival took place under the auspices of the Cape Town City Council who approached Public Eye to co-ordinate a number of visual art components. Working with Isaac Makeleni, director of Masivuke Ma-Afrika, six artists painted street signs in Gugulethu, indicating points of interest for tourists. Also, a group of art students painted posters and murals at the Cape Town Station and other venues around the city.

At the request of the Cape Town City Department of Health, Public Eye undertook the design and manufacture of a number of pamphlets and large banners for a campaign aimed at raising awareness of AIDS amongst young people. Vinyl panels, promoting the use of condoms, were also displayed on the city’s rubbish removal trucks.

Andrew Putter represented Public Eye on the discussion panel entitled ‘Revitalising and Democratising Public Spaces in Cape Town’, organised by Zayd Minty for the Mail & Guardian newspaper.

The Mayor of Cape Town Nomaindia Mfeketo made a speech at the opening:

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PTO, also part of the One City, Many Cultures Festival, was initiated by Public Eye who invited more than 20 artists to engage with national monuments. These temporary ‘re-considerations’ were unveiled on Heritage Day. Artists in Durban and Johannesburg participated in their respective cities. This was co-ordinated by Brett Murray and Kevin Brand.

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