Cape Town becomes an open-air arts venue today.
Image: Itai Zwecker, courtesy of TRIBE
The Institute for Creative Arts (ICA) Live Art Festival begins on 14 October, bringing around 30 free performances and installations to streets, gardens and public spaces across the city until 18 October 2026.
The festival brings together dance, theatre, visual art, music, architecture and performance. Many of the works are created specifically for the places in which they are presented, responding to the surrounding environment, local histories and communities.
Rather than being confined to traditional theatres and galleries, the programme invites audiences to explore Cape Town and encounter art in unexpected places.
Eight routes through Cape Town
The festival connects audiences with performances and installations across eight routes, spanning sites such as Hiddingh Campus, the Company’s Garden, the Iziko Amphitheatre, Station Forecourt, St George’s Mall, the Castle, 16 on Lerotholi Gallery and Guga S’thebe. Each location contributes to the experience, with artists responding to the character and history of the spaces around them.
“Every site on the programme has its own rhythm, its own audiences, its own histories,” says ICA director Professor Nomusa Makhubu. She explains that the festival encourages artists to engage with these contexts before developing work that responds to them.
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South African and international artists
Curated by Themba Stewart and Luvuyo Equiano Nyawose, the 2026 programme features artists and practitioners working across a range of creative disciplines. Confirmed participants include Vincent Mantsoe, Mandla Mbothwe, Mwenya Kabwe, Gavin Krastin, Auriol Hays, Qondiswa James, Wezile Harmans, Oupa Sibeko, Lungiswa Plaatjies, Meghna Singh, Sbo Ndaba Dance and Wolff Architects.
The festival also introduces an artistic exchange between South Africa and Sweden. Swedish live artist Mauritz Tistelo will collaborate with local artists in Cape Town, while South African dancer Lorin Sookool takes up a reciprocal placement in Sweden. The exchange aims to create opportunities for artists to share approaches, develop new work and learn from different creative environments.
Writer Aruna D’Souza to deliver keynote
Critic and writer Aruna D’Souza will deliver the festival’s keynote address. Her 2024 book, Imperfect Solidarities, explores how artworks and creative practices can foster solidarity without requiring different identities or communities to merge into one. At the festival, D’Souza will bring these ideas into conversation with artists and collectives working amid social unrest and fragile democracies.
Free performances across the city
All festival performances are free to attend. By presenting work in accessible public spaces, the ICA Live Art Festival aims to reach audiences beyond conventional arts venues. Visitors can plan their routes around particular performances or discover installations while moving through the city. The programme also includes a Sunday offering in Langa, extending the festival’s reach into another Cape Town community.
The festival runs from today, 14 October, until Sunday, 18 October 2026. Visitors can follow the Institute for Creative Arts on Instagram and on Facebook for festival updates and programme information.
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