It’s not easy to lug around, but the piano and its cousins keep their players’ fingers exercised and souls in the right key.

“It is my voice. It allows me to express myself in the truest form, emotions which I am aware of but also those I am not,” says Catherine Foxcroft, a classical pianist who performed at this year’s Festival as a soloist with the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra.

Ten thousand companies have filed for bankruptcy in Germany in the past six months and millions of Americans have lost their jobs in the US.

Yet this week in Grahamstown thousands of people have spent freely at the box office, guesthouses, market stalls and restaurants.

“What’s happening at the Festival flies in the face of the trend,” says Patrick Lavery, chief

AIDS, that perennial party-pooper, is the theme linking Iago’s Last Dance’s three playlets.

At the mention of HIV, eyes tend to glaze over cynically at the prospect of heavy-handed public service announcements or moral hand-wringing.

A big question hanging over the production is, does it circumvent the AIDS fatigue many audience members have incurred from media-saturation?

Grahamstown's railway line marks the division between its residents. Two different classes of people and two different worlds exist on either side. This is a case that's representative of South Africa at large and the poverty that we have become immune to must be highlighted. This is the aim of Blood Diamonds, as explained by producer Brett Bailey.

Umtshotsho, a traditional youth dance, is exhibited at the National Arts festival. Created by Nicholas Hlobo, Umtshotsho, emerges from non-traditional materials. He uses
rubber tube, leather, ribbons to explore Xhosa traditions and homosexuality.

The Cloths of Heaven is an exhibition showcasing the historic embroidery of the Community of the Resurrection Sisters of St Peter’s.

Most of the embroidery work was done by Sister Margaret Evelyn but all were done by hand.

Audrey Holmes, an affiliate of the Community of the Resurrection Sisters, lovingly takes you through this exhibition of Sister Margaret’s work.

Sure to raise a few religious eyebrows, a lesbian reverend, an Imam currently dating a man, a lesbian sangoma and a gay Jew all met under one roof to talk about spirituality and sexuality as a part of Think!Fest yesterday.

The four spoke about reconciling their sexuality with their respective faiths and sensitively taking on orthodoxies.

Ben Okri’s The Famished Road, now captured on stage by Helen Iskander, blends the twin dimensions with poise and beauty.

Visual art at this year’s Festival was spiked with controversy as well as poignancy and bad art, but was not lacking in gems. The fear, however, seems plausible that art is losing prestige in this Festival.

The greatest irony was the fact that the best art on show was reflected in a 25-year retrospective, and critically acclaimed art was censored by venue management.

It’s almost over and the sawdust is settling. So what were the highlights of Festival 2009?

Kesivan Naidoo – Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner for Jazz
Mâ Ravan’: The topic hit me deeply. It made me want to become a better artist.

Learner Husband: Hilarious. I plan to become a husband so it was worth going to.