The Festival Organisers
The Arts Festival of Southern Africa has some
stellar personnel doing the organising and the direction of the
festival.
Click on the pictures below to find out a bit more
about them.
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| Robin Hogarth |
Shelley Ashurst |
Dave Shell |
Ludwig Bouwer |
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| Lauren Strachan |
Cindy Gosteli |
John Fresk |
Kirsty Schaff- Viljoen |
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| Jean Viljoen |
Ryan Bysshe |
Sandy Shell |
Sophy Tlhabadira |
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| Tony Horn |
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Robin Hogarth
Grammy Award winner, Robin Hogarth, helped found the Arts Festival of
Southern Africa after having been the Executive Director of the Saint
Hill International Arts Festival (UK) for some years. With over 60
albums to his name, Robin is a long standing composer and producer of
music on the world stage, particularly for film and TV, and a specialist
in Southern African music. His music has been used in TV, film and radio
productions in more than 20 countries around the world. Over the past
fifteen years, Robin has produced a series of music albums tracing the
traditional music of vanishing civilizations, as well as producing for
one of the largest catalogues of African traditional and folk music in
the world. With a stellar history in the world of music, Robin first
received a 2007 Grammy Award for the production of the Soweto Gospel
Choir's worldwide hit album, "Blessed," in the category 'Best
Traditional World Music Album', and then a 2008 Grammy award for the
production of the Soweto Gospel Choir album, 'African Spirit’ in the
same category. In 2011 he was again Grammy nominated for the
co-production of another Soweto Gospel Choir album, ‘Grace’. Robin
is an inspiration to the Arts Festival, is the chief goal maker, and has
been a driving force behind it all. For more information about Robin's
work and achievements, take a look at his website at www.robinhogarth.com.
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Shelley Ashurst
Shelley Ashurst has been on the Arts Festival Committee for the
past ten years, having held numerous executive positions on the
committee, 2011 sees Shelley in the seat of Executive Director for
five years. This effectively makes her the longest
serving Executive Committee member and ED of the Southern African
Arts Festival to date! Shelley possesses a natural artistic flair
in various areas and lists in her (growing!) repertoire ballet
dancing, fabric painting, beading, sewing, scrapbooking and of
course, the usual hands-on art of raising three children as well
as being the Executive Director of Jacksons Computers. She has
also contributed greatly to various humanitarian endeavours on
behalf of the Church of Scientology.
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Dave Shell
Dave Shell, Deputy Executive Director of the Arts Festival Committee,
has been involved with Creative Arts for more than 30 years, virtually
from when it was started by Chris Dresser all those years ago. More
recently, he has been part of the annual Arts Festival and has been on
the Executive Committee for the last five years and has seen the
Festival go from strength to strength. He has great empathy for the
arts and artists, and nothing gives him greater pleasure than to see
budding artists perform and gain confidence in themselves. The Arts
Festival gives everyone the opportunity to discover and expand their
creative talents and Dave says there is nothing that beats seeing people
becoming aware of the creative talents they have and then using them to
communicate with others.
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Ludwig Bouwer
The superb sound at the annual Arts Festival of Southern Africa has been
supplied by Ludwig Bouwer of One Big Room Studios for a number of
years now. He is the owner and designer of One Big Room Studios -
a complete music production facility, situated at Silverton Ridge,
Pretoria. His total professionalism and attention to detail when it
comes to perfect sound has contributed in no small measure to making the
Arts Festival the success that it is. Ludwig takes total responsibility
for the area, and goes out of his way to ensure that each artist sounds
his or her best. Ludwig is also a member of the successful rock band, The
Lemmings, and has performed all over the world with them. One Big
Room Studios has produced recordings for such diverse and well-known
artistes as Andra (recently featured in the American TV advert for
Yellowpages.com), Bonekey (voted one of the Top 20 SA albums of the
decade by Beeld Newspaper), Frankie Fire, Float Parade, Mara Louw, Ghapi
(winners of “Huisgenoot/You Magazine Tempo 2006” Best Rock Band for
2005/2006), The Parlotones, Stix Hojeng, Lebo Mogale and many others.
Check out the studio web site at www.onebigroom.co.za.
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Lauren Strachan
Serving actively on the Arts Festival Committee for the last 4
years, Lauren has entrenched herself as one of the "key
players" in ensuring a smoothly run festival each year.
Lauren takes full responsibility for making sure everyone gets
their meeting minutes on time during the year, and she is
excellent at encouraging and enlisting help from others on all
Committee activities. She is also the "glue" of the
festival, holding everything together as she runs the Reception
Marquee with aplomb. She has a keen interest in everything
aesthetic and artistic, and is herself an accomplished amateur
actor, having performed in numerous productions for her school and
the Arts Festival over the years. Lauren has a special flair and
ability for "getting the job done" and she is always
willing to pitch in and help wherever she is needed.
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Cindy Gosteli
This years painting was kindly donated by Cindy Gosteli, a member
of the Arts Festival Committee for the past 2 years. This year she
was thrown into the deep end and has taken on the full
responsibility for all the Festival promotion and marketing - a
daunting task that she has handled with professionalism and a
much-needed quirky sense of humour! Hailing from a multi-talented
artistic family, Cindy is no exception to the rule when it comes
to artistic excellence. Undeterred after not being allowed to take
a 7th subject in high-school, Cindy took up Art as an
extra-curricular activity, a subject she very quickly excelled in.
She went on to study Interior Design at the Tshwane University of
Technology, again excelling in subjects such as fine arts, graphic
design, architectural drawing, photography, model building,
typography and more. She received her Bachelor's Degree in
Interior Design - Cum Laude no less! Although she displays an
exceptional and multi-talented ability in everything she applies
her hand to, her favourite style is pencil sketching, and she has
a keen interest in working with mixed mediums. She also confesses
to having a "weird affinity" for professional graffiti!
Cindy lends that "something special" to the Arts
Festival Committee and we are proud to have her as a member of the
team!
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John Fresk
John took the reins of the Artistic Director post of the Arts
Festival of Southern Africa in 2010. A superb, classically trained
pianist (with popular, rock and jazz experience) John's colourful and
successful career spans 25 years of professional international
performance and recording. John is also a composer and song-writer, and
was a Grammy nominee for an album entitled "Heavenly Brother,"
a tribute to the late Martin Luther King. He has worked closely with
prominent international artists, including jazz icon, Chick Corea, and
Bobby McFerrin (of "Don't Worry, Be Happy" fame). John hails
from the Northwest United States, but has been resident in Johannesburg
for the past three years. He first performed at the Arts Festival in
2007, and was an immediate hit with the audience who were thrilled with
his artistry on the piano and amazed at his ability to get on stage with
artists that he had never played with before and make incredible music
with them. This popularity has grown over the years, and John is in
great demand, both as a solo artist, as well as part of the piano/vocal
duo, John and Ryan. Most recently, John has served as arranger locally
for Harry Sideropoulos and has just completed a Classic FM soiree with
Dutch violinist, Tim Kliphuis. He now brings his years of professional experience
to the organisational side of the Arts Festival as the Artistic
Director. For more information about John, have a look at www.johnandryan.co.za
and www.johnfresk.com.
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Kirsty Schaff- Viljoen
Kirsty jumped into the deep-end 4 years ago when she joined the Festival
Committee and willingly took on the hat of Assistant to the Executive
Director. Since then she has gone from strength to strength, proving
that she is an invaluable asset to the festival and a stalwart member of
the team. She has held a wide variety of positions on the Committee over
the years and always lends her own unique style and "create"
in everything she does. In amongst many other activities she performs on
the Committee, this year Kirsty also took on the full responsibility for
selling tickets to the festival in abundance! Possessing an innate
artistic flair, she is talented in a number of Art forms including
sketching, craftwork, singing and last but by no means least, her latest
hobby, photography (particularly of her husband Jean and their beautiful
son, Caleb!). Kirsty has also delighted audiences at both Creative Arts
and the Arts Festival with her drama and singing performances - she is a
true supporter of the Arts.
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Jean Viljoen
Jean Viljoen, is a young business executive, who runs his own
architectural drawing company. Jean is himself a product of the Arts
Festival. Having attended drumming workshops at the Festival, he soon
acquired his own drum kit, and then studied drumming at COPA (Campus of
Performing Arts). He regularly practises and plays with other students
at the campus and like-minded friends, and has played at Creative Arts.
He has also appeared in musical productions at the Festival. A long-time
supporter and assistant at the Arts Festival, Jean has now taken on the
responsibility of Technical Director of the Arts Festival.
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Ryan Bysshe
Ryan Bysshe has performed for audiences for as long as he can remember.
After graduating Cum Laude with two degrees in business and IT, Ryan
took the helm of the Church of Scientology Johannesburg North for 5 and
half years. He is now following his other passion of music with one of
his ventures being the other half of the new class act, “John &
Ryan” with music virtuoso John Fresk. Ryan assisted in the founding of
Creative Arts Joburg North, and continues with this activity in addition
to his current artistic profession. Ryan also teams up with John as an
Artistic Director on the Committee of the Arts Festival of Southern
Africa and has contributed his own special creative flair to our
activities over the last two years.
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Sandy Shell
Sandy Shell has been one of the most stalwart supporters of both
Creative Arts and the Arts Festival of Southern Africa. She brings her
own special composed “flair” to the festival, and is always willing
to assist in any activity where she is needed. Sandy has held many
portfolios on the Arts Festival Committee, including that of “Keeper
of Festival Statistics”, and more recently, the Career Consultant
In-Charge. Over festival weekends, there is no task too great for Sandy,
and one can usually find her quietly smoothing over ruffled feathers and
making sure that the festival executives remember to eat and drink!
Sandy epitomises the statement “living itself is an art form” by
L. Ron Hubbard - she lends a finesse and creative flair to every task
she applies herself to.
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Sophy Tlhabadira
Sophy joined the Arts Festival Committee in 2010 as part of our
Technical team, assisting with running the ever-popular workshops in
tandem with Jean Viljoen. Although a relative newcomer to the Festival
Committee, she is already very much part of the team, and this year sees
Sophy take on an active role in our Dissemination Division assisting
with getting media recognition for the festival as well as assisting
with ticket sales. Sophy is one of those "give it to me and I will
do it" people, and is always willing to lend a very helping hand in
every activity of the festival. Sophy has a wide and varied appreciation
of the Arts and she also supports a variety of Humanitarian Projects on
a regular basis. She is an active member of the Kensington Residents
Association and takes a keen and active interest her local community
forums.
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Tony Horn
Our finance man! Some may describe Tony as quiet, unassuming and modest.
Others might say reserved. We say efficient, capable, gracious and above
all, professional! Tony has held the finance reins of the Arts Festival
for the last 3 years. One might think that there cannot be much artistry
in finance, but the manner in which Tony miraculously ensures we have
the energy and resources to pull off what we do each year can only be
described as "magic", and therein lies his Artistic talent!
Besides the Financial portfolio he holds on the Committee, Tony always
pitches in and helps in other areas - he is the gentle force in the
Reception tent throughout the festival keeping his eye on everything and
always ready with a huge smile and a quiet reassurance that everything
will be okay! Every team has a quiet (and sometimes unacknowledged)
hero, and Tony Horn is certainly that for the Arts Festival of Southern
Africa!
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