The Cradle of Creativity Festival is an 8 day long city-wide celebration of unforgettable encounters.
The dynamic roving international performing arts festival for children and young people is hosted by The Market Theatre and offers performing arts for young audiences from across the continent and the world.
This year’s theme “The Stories That Move Us” builds a rich legacy of diversity, creativity and opportunity that continues to generate energy and activity long after the final curtain call.
Cradle of Creativity is meticulously curated in Women’s month, by one of the foremost young female curators of of time, Faye Kabali Kagwa, who was recognized as a Mail and Guardian Top 200 Young South African in 2021.
The festival features some of the very best in South African theatre with performances from all provinces, speaking to children from as young as 2 to young adults. There are a range of voices present, from youth voices to professional theatre companies: these include “Skin We Are In” by the Kwasha Theatre Company, “Stories We See” by Gcebile Dlamini, featuring children from the Johannesburg Society for The Blind, “Bounced” by Cape Town based theatre company Magnet Theatre, a leader in early years theatre, and the musical extravaganza, “Mwana wa Mvula” by Kimberley’s Amandla Dance Teatro ZA: these are just some of the bold voices to make up the festival programme on the South African front.
The festival also boasts a rich series of international productions presented by Netherlands theatre company, de Stilte; Danish theatre company, Batida; Carre Blanc Cie from France; La Guimbarde from Belgium; the Joshua Monten Dance Company from Switzerland; Ishyo theatre from Rwanda; Teatro Al Vacio from Mexico, and Maas Foundation from Pakistan.
Performances take place at the Market theatre, Windybrow Arts Centre, Sibikwa Arts Centre and the National Children’s Theatre as well as at selected schools and community centres. In addition, some of the dance productions will be travelling to the Jomba! Contemporary Dance festival in Durban, in partnership with the Centre for Creative Arts.
In addition, there is a rich professional programme aimed at artists, teachers, and subject advisors, with workshops, panel discussions and presentations from across the globe taking place daily according to a range of focus areas.
To further extend the international element, the ASSITEJ international Executive Committee meeting and an African regional workshop as part of the BABEL, EU-funded ASSITEJ project, will be housed at the festival, ensuring the representation of more than 30 countries in person at the festival.
The Young Critics Programme which is an integral part of the festival and sees youth voices reviewing and critiquing productions, using a variety of styles and media.