There will be a full day art tour in East London from November that will incorporate South African culture and music.
Litha Ncokazi, the founder and managing director of Art Versatile, said the idea for the art tour arose earlier this year.
A gallery owner himself, he wanted to bring something unique as a tourism offering and to showcase the art on offer in East London.
“I did a test marketing during the Tourism Indaba in Durban to see what the response would be if an art tour was on the cards for East London. Through engagement with various tour operators and other stakeholders, I found there is an overwhelming desire for the tour,” he said.
Ncokazi went home to the drawing board to bring his vision to life and came up with creative ways to incorporate art and tourism. The art tour will showcase Xhosa heritage, include walkabouts through art galleries, a three course meal and market culture of the town.
He said there were many art hotspots in East London, from private art studios, a craft shop that boasts the best craft collection the Eastern Cape province has to offer, to a community art centre abuzz with creative and cultural.
Some of the highlights will include a private art guide as he/she takes you to Quigney, a craft establishment, to explore Xhosa culture captured through relic beadwork, followed by a lesson a resident master painter from Versatile Ceramic Studios in Arcadia and an art exhibition.
“This art tour is something that everyone should try. It creates an ambiance, is therapeutic, allow creativity and helps to delve into their creative streak within them,” said Ncokazi.
For further information, contact 0738365552 or email [email protected]