THE third Cultivaria festival is set to make an even more significant economic injection for the Drakenstein municipal area.
As one of the title sponsors to the event, the Drakenstein Municipality has committed itself for the third year running, to promote Paarl and its various attractions.
The festival, one of the fastest growing arts festivals in the country, plays a crucial role not only in tourism destination marketing, but also delivers significant job creation opportunities.
The Drakenstein Municipality underwrites the festival by providing support in key areas such as traffic control, law enforcement, refuse removal as well as basic amenities like water and electricity.
According to municipal spokesperson Anthony Sauls, the festival provides a wealth of opportunity for local residents and businesses.
“As a local government, we are serious about marketing our town and emphasising its tourism potential. The spin-off created by cultural tourism has far-reaching effects on our broader community by making a substantial economic contribution, especifically in the hospitality, wine and related industries,” Sauls said.
Festival organiser and local entrepreneur Gerhard Meyer has insisted that the festival leaves a legacy for the broader Drakenstein community.
“ The support of institutions such as Drakenstein Municipality, FNB and KWV has enabled us to focus on skills transferral that can lead to potential full-time employment for previously unemployed people.
“Staff employed in our call centre, which handles all bookings and reservations around the festival, receive intensive training in tele-marketing and most of them take this experience into permanent positions elsewhere after the festival,” Meyer said.
The festival is also committed to uncovering local talent by providing local artists an opportunity to showcase their work to a captive audience.
The FNB Private Clients De Kat art exhibition has expanded to include the “Pollie ons gaan Paarl toe” initiative, which will see emerging artists and crafters exhibiting their creations alongside those of their more established local and international counterparts.
In addition, this year’s Cultivaria also called on local performers to participate in a unique concert celebrating the diversity of the South African entertainment industry. Aptly named “Local is Lekker”, this musical extravaganza will give emerging performers the opportunity to share the limelight with established musicians. For bookings, visit www.cultivaria.com or call 021-872-9754
