“Remember The Nothing from the 1984 movie, The NeverEnding Story, directed by Steven Spielberg?” asks Pieter Jacobs, Head of UJ Arts & Culture. “The Nothing is the overarching antagonist and primary threat of the 1979 German fantasy novel (or rather, the first half of the novel) Die unendliche Geschichte and Spielberg's 1984 film adaptation of the same name.
Yes, the one with the catchy theme song by Limahl. Imagine for a minute you're an artist or a creative - well that's what Covid-19 is, irrespective of which level of lockdown we happen to find ourselves in. This pandemic continues to be the overarching antagonist and primary threat to the livelihoods of cultural and creative practitioners, which is dependent on social closeness, not social distance.”
UJ's Unfestival SA is not a festival. It is a symbolic concept intended to benefit students in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture and, through our partnership with BASA’s Artist Relief campaign, for the creative sector as a whole. UJ Arts & Culture and BASA recognise that the widespread cancellations of festivals, concerts, productions, exhibitions, events and cultural programmes, locally and internationally, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is a Sword of Damocles, hanging over the livelihoods of artists globally. We know that very few arts and culture organisations will have adequate reserves to sustain them through these uncertain times. Unfestival SA is an opportunity to show up, even if you can't -- buy buying a ticket to nothing. Well... maybe something, you'll have to buy a ticket at https://tinyurl.com/unfest2020 to see...
What do you get when you buy a ticket? Nothing. No. No kidding. You get zip. Zero. Nada. But maybe you get to make a difference. Go on... Do the right thing and support the arts.
