Welcome to the Gauteng Youth Performing Arts Festival (GYPAF); a 5 day performing arts festival for youth interested in the performing arts, and it happens every year during the school holidays. This year, the festival will be held at the internationally renowned Victory Theatre where the world famous "Umoja" performed. GYPAF is celebrating various performing art genres among the youth of townships and inner city in and around Gauteng Province. The festival aim is to promote a culture of artistic excellence and positive competition among youth aged up to 25 years old interested in and active in the performing arts. All the performances on show in the various performance genres are adjudicated and the best performing groups and individual artists are recognised at the awards ceremony.
The theme for the 2019 festival is "HIV/AIDS and Abuse Prevention and Intervention." This theme is inline with observing the "16 Days of Activism against Women and Child abuse campaign" and "International HIV/AIDS Day" which are both observed in the month December.
This festival is important for these young people as the arts in general provide a constructive and safe alternative to their otherwise unsafe environments. The arts provide a place where their talent can be used positively, and a place where they learn discipline, commitment and hardwork.
The festival is a non-profit event, where the youth do not have to pay to participate in or watch the festival activities. The participating groups do not pay a registration fee to perform, but they do have to register to participate. To monitor quality, all the performances to be presented at the festival will be seen by the festival organisors before the festival itself happens. Look our for information regarding the festival to be held during the December holidays for youth and groups interested in participating.
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The festival will be held at the world famous Victory Theatre in Orange Grove where the popular show "Umoja" performed. The festival will be held later in the year, but application forms must be submitted by 15th November, 2019. Keep visiting this website for updates on the 2019 Festival dates.
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This festival GYPAF is hosted by TIKO (TCH) in association with Bongolesizwe Tintswalo Theatre Project. To participate in the festival, get in touch with us at gautengyouthfestival@gmail.com