The Festival Forum understands and acknowledges that systemic racism and discrimination exist and manifest in complex ways within communities. This is inherently part of the South African story and affects nearly all communities on both macro and micro levels. Arts festivals are an integral part of the effort to address these inequalities, marginalisations, and the oppression of certain groups.

As the Festival Forum, it is part of our mission to bring artists and audiences together to create open, safe, and creative platforms for free and diverse artistic expression. We are committed to inclusive programming and presenting work that tells the stories of various communities, as well as creating opportunities for discourse that addresses these shortcomings.

Therefore, we are further committed to developing audiences that see inclusivity and diversity as priorities, and we invite you as a festivalgoer to embrace these values and to actively view the festival as an opportunity to join us in the fight against inequality and racism. Together, we can create a community of diverse people who embrace differences and, in doing so, celebrate one another — just as the arts light the way for us.