29 March 2023
The proud African bank, Absa, recognises the importance of supporting the arts and culture in South Africa. With a commitment of investing in South Africa's arts industry, Absa is excited to enhance its touch points at this year's KKNK festival, showcasing the best of local and national talent in a celebration of creativity and innovation.
Various opportunities are created where Absa can engage with their customers and the community members in an environment that they are passionate about.
“In everything that we do, we always think of their experience and the KKNK festival is an ideal platform to showcase our Africanacity. We are proud to contribute to the development of local and international talent once again through the festival,” says John Tshabalala, Head of Private Banking Segment at Absa.
The 27th KKNK is presented from Saturday 1 to Sunday 9 April in Oudtshoorn, with Absa as the main sponsor of the festival.
Absa announced at the KKNK’s programme launch this year that their sponsorship of the festival will be extended for a further three years and Tshabalala says this extension of Absa’s partnership allows them to continue to make a meaningful impact in the community of Oudtshoorn and the arts industry as a whole. Absa has been involved as a sponsor of the KKNK for 21 years.
“Seeing the immense opportunities that lie in arts festivals for South Africa’s economic development, Absa aims to continue enabling inclusive growth within the arts environment. The KKNK festival is more than just a sponsorship for Absa, it is also an opportunity and provides a platform for us to bring exciting and extraordinary activities to our customers and the broader community.”
Festivalgoers can join Absa in the Absa Kuierkamer which has a new home in the Feesmark. Various activities catering for every taste will be hosted here. Visitors can relax here and take a breather from the business of the festival, while enjoying the food and beverages that will be on sale. In this air-conditioned space, guests will have access to free Wi-Fi and mobile phone charging stations.
From 5 to 9 April at 11:00 the ever-popular Hannes van Wyk is in conversation with various artists involved at the KKNK. You can get to know them better, find out more about their current projects, what inspires their creativity and future plans in the industry.
It has been said that “knitting is the new yoga” and festivalgoers can join us at the Hekelhoekie corner in the Absa Kuierkamer, where they can collaborate with the Oudtshoorn ReWOLusie team to get their hands on a set of needles and knit up a storm. All items made during the festival will be donated to local organisations.
Art enthusiasts can visit pop-up art exhibitions that will be hosted inside the local Absa branch and the Absa Gallery at the Prince Vincent Building. This will include artworks by young inspirational artists from across Africa, as well as a selection of rarely seen artworks from Absa’s corporate art collection.
Abongile Sidzumo, the Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto Winner of 2021, will complete two artworks during the live sessions at the festival for festivalgoers to view. These artworks will then form part of the Framing Workshops that will be attended by the youth. Professional framers will be brought in to host the workshops and two learners will be chosen, with their new framing skills, to frame Abongile’s work under the watchful eye of the framers. These works will then be put up for auction with the proceeds benefiting the framing workshop.
The Absa Vehicle and Asset Finance team has collaborated with the local car dealers from Nissan and Klein Karoo Toyota to display their vehicles at the festival. John Deere will also have their tractors on display.
During the first KKNK Youth Arts Festival, Absa presents sessions for the youth, focusing on financial education and work readiness. These financial sessions will cover key topics such as budgeting and using credit wisely. The work readiness sessions form part of Absa’s ReadytoWork programme. Recognition is also given to the teacher attending the Youth Arts Festival, with a special luncheon to recognise and celebrate the invaluable work done by our educators.
A variety of artworks have been spread across the heart of Oudtshoorn since 2018, as part of Absa’s Maakit Mooi, to celebrate this town’s status as the home of the arts in South Africa.
“Various banking facilities are available during the festival, to support the festival in the form of the bank on wheels, which will be strategically placed on the festival grounds as well as various convenient payment solutions that can be used. And if anyone needs assistance with their banking issues, our dedicated Absa staff will be there to help,” Tshabalala concludes.
The programme for the 27th KKNK is available on the KKNK festival website and tickets are available at Webtickets or your nearest Pick n Pay.
