Contra.Joburg 2025 is set to break all the rules of a visual arts festival
Johannesburg's most radical visual arts festival, Contra.Joburg returns under a bold new theme: 'What if art interrupts you?', and promises a curated collision of surprise interventions and unscripted artistic experiences designed to disrupt expectations and expand the possibilities of visual art.
Read more: FNB Art Joburg returns for the 18th consecutive year
The festival will host over 170 visual artists, designers and makers from August 30-31, across unconventional spaces in the CBD of Johannesburg from rooftops and alleyways to galleries and forgotten buildings.
Founder Sara Hallatt said, 'Every artist, every location, and every moment is chosen for its ability to surprise you to feel like it could only happen here and now. We want audiences to feel like they stumbled into something maybe by accident, maybe by fate.'
Expect live glitches, sonic interventions, and collaborative installations that defy categorisation.
The visual arts festival will take place over two days, with selected studios being open on these two different days. The studios will be linked via a shuttle service (that is included in the cost of the ticket) that will allow visitors to safely explore the city.
The shuttles will move in a loop between the buildings, with transport available every 20 minutes. Based on demand last year, the hours have been extended with the event running from 10:00 until 17:00.
The festival is also an engine for the creative economy. Since its launch, Contra.Joburg has facilitated nearly R3m in direct art sales, enabling working artists to grow their practices and collectors to build meaningful collections.
Tickets can be purchased on Quicket: Quicket.co.za
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