Western Cape, South Africa, 23 July 2025 — after years of dynamic community engagement and a steadily growing impact beyond the urban boundaries of the city, the Cape Town Arts Festival (CTAF) is proud to announce its official rebrand. The organization will now be trading as the Western Cape Arts Festivals (WCAF), reflecting an expanded vision that places rural arts, cultural tourism, and economic development at the heart of its mission.

This transformation marks a significant milestone in the festival’s journey — evolving from a city-based celebration to a province-wide cultural movement. While flagship projects like the Beyond Busking Project will continue to serve Cape Town communities, the rebrand to WCAF signals a deeper commitment to amplifying the voices, stories, and talents of artists across the entire Western Cape, including vibrant towns along the Garden Route.

Speaking on the rebrand, CEO Yusuf Ganief said, “This milestone reflects our expanded footprint, growing community partnerships, and a deepening belief that cultural celebration is not just about entertainment — it is a catalyst for economic opportunity, social cohesion, and community upliftment.”

The new name — Western Cape Arts Festivals — captures the geographic breadth and inclusive spirit of the work that has already been unfolding since 2022. Over the past three years, WCAF’s programming has trained more than 276 young creatives in job readiness and cultural entrepreneurship, supported over 845 artists with performance opportunities, enabled 173 vendors to earn through festival-linked trade, and welcomed more than 7,500 audience members into accessible, heritage-rich creative spaces.

The rebrand follows the recent success of multiple rural initiatives, most notably the 2025 AIR Project and AIR Festival in Bitou. That event alone empowered over 210 local youth, artists, vendors, and service providers, attracted more than 3,000 attendees from across the Garden Route, and created meaningful economic activity through cultural exchange, tourism activation, and grassroots entrepreneurship. These results demonstrate that the arts, when driven by community values, have the power to transform local economies and nurture resilient, creative futures.

Importantly, while the trading name and scope are evolving, the organization’s founding principles and legal status remain unchanged. WCAF continues to operate as a registered and compliant NPC and retains its core values of community access, artist empowerment, and cultural equity. The leadership team, operational integrity, and strategic partnerships also remain firmly in place.

The organization also expresses deep gratitude to its creative implementation partner, Ariva Arts Foundation, and long-standing supporters including Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture (DSAC), the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport (DCAS), the National Arts Council of South Africa (NAC), and the South African Music Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA). Their support has been instrumental in building the festival’s legacy and enabling its growth.

“As we celebrate five years since reviving the original Cape Town Festival, first launched in 2000 under the visionary banner of ‘One City, Many Cultures,’ we are honored to carry that legacy forward under a new provincial identity,” said Ganief. “We look ahead with confidence, knowing that our work now reflects the diverse communities we serve — from Cape Town to Knysna, Vredendal to Mossel Bay, and everywhere in between.”

Our new website is now live at www.wcartsfest.org.za, and all correspondence will now use the updated email domain @wcartsfest.org.za.

The Western Cape Arts Festivals invites artists, partners, funders, and community leaders to join in this next chapter — a shared journey of celebration, creativity, and transformation across the Western Cape.