Cradle of Creativity festival to tour South Africa in 2026

The Cradle of Creativity festival, presented by ASSITEJ South Africa, is scheduled to take place in 2026, featuring international theatre, dance, circus, and interdisciplinary productions for children and young people.

One segment of the festival will tour the Northern Cape, arriving in Kimberley from 24 to 28 August 2026 at the Northern Cape Theatre. This marks the first time the festival has been hosted in the province, an initiative aimed at increasing geographic equity in arts access. The Kimberley tour includes productions such as the educational engagement ‘1-2s’ by the Dutch dance company De Stilte.

Another portion of the festival will be held at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg from 31 August to 6 September 2026. This edition commemorates the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprisings by celebrating youth activism and African storytelling. The program includes a professional development series for artists and the launch of the Arts-rich Schools programme, supported by the Department of Basic Education.