The National Eisteddfod Academy (NEA) (Reg. No. 1997/003935/08) is a registered Non Profit Company (NPC) in terms of the Companies Act. No. 71 of 2004 (as amended). Since 1997 the NEA has created opportunities for more than 559,000 young performers in Gauteng, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, Northern Cape, North West, Free State and Eastern Cape to perform and develop their talents in speech and drama, music, dance and creative arts across the full spectrum of cultural diversity.
Known for providing a platform of choice for many young performers, the National Eisteddfod Academy, who has since 1997 developed the tradition form of the Welsh music and poetry festival, eisteddfod, into a no-limitations platform, takes culture to your doorstep with regional eisteddfod events where young (and not so young!) performers can experience the magic of the arts while singing, dancing, acting, playing and painting to their heart’s delight!
The National Eisteddfod Academy
- promotes and encourage participation in the arts
- manages the annual National Eisteddfod, a powerful tool for building self-confidence and courage to take a stand in this world
- provides a springboard to prepare talented performers for a career in the performing arts
- prides itself on giving young performers the sense of Ubuntu, a quality that embodies the universal bond of sharing and connecting communities.
The National Eisteddfod of South Africa® is the registered trademark of the National Eisteddfod Academy and is presented annually in various regions during August – October. Regional eisteddfod events are presented within rural and urban communities in various provinces in South Africa and even across our borders. At these regional National Eisteddfod events participants can participate in the following categories where they are adjudicated by members of the NEA Adjudicators’ Forum:
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Speech and drama
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Dance
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Classical and crossover music (vocal and instrumental)
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Contemporary music (vocal and instrumental)
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Fine arts
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Learners with different abilities
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All National Eisteddfod events are aimed at developing young performers through the adjudication and mentoring process that involve both teacher and parent. This experience allows teachers and parents the opportunity to guide participants to deal with success and failure within a safe and child-centered environment. Al categories provide for the inclusion of learners with different abilities.
What makes us different?
The National Eisteddfod Academy beliefs that fascinating things happen in the human’s mind and body when involved in some kind of artistic expression. This is equally true for young and old and holds they key to the development of self-confidence and appreciating one’s own value as a human being.
The National Eisteddfod Academy is convinced that participation in the arts causes magic to happen in the human mind and body! This magic is the key to developing self-confidence and appreciating your own value as a human being. For this reason, the National Eisteddfod of South Africa® is in essence an educational platform that supports the personal growth of participants. The National Eisteddfod of South Africa® is not a competition that limits participants to a 60 or 90-second performance where the outcome will only determine whether “you’re IN or OUT” (for whatever might follow next!)
The eisteddfod experience should not be limited to “so-called” talented performers only! Eisteddfod participation benefits all participants due to the impact of arts activities on personal development and growth.
With this in mind, this eisteddfod process operates on two levels:
- For the (so-called) talented learner (who might follow a career in the arts) it provides an opportunity for expression and growth in a selected art form.
- For the majority of participants (who might not pursue a career in the arts), the eisteddfod process itself builds self-confidence, assertiveness and the courage to take a stand in this world.
Who may participate in the National Eisteddfod of South Africa?
The National Eisteddfod for South Africa® has no limits and provides participants of ALL ages with opportunities to participate, including differently abled participants. Any one can be entered by a school, studio of individual parent for an unlimited number of entries. In short: any individual, group, school, organization etc. may register and enter for the annual National Eisteddfod for any of the following:
- singing
- dancing
- acting, reading and public speaking
- playing an instrument, as well as
- painting, drawing, sculpturing, etc.
What do we offer?
The National Eisteddfod of South Africa® provides a non-competitive environment where young and old in all communities can perform, learn, develop and showcase their potential in music, dance, theatre and fine arts. This goes hand in hand with a unique style of adjudication that distinguishes it from other similar events.
The National Eisteddfod Academy has always considered the eisteddfod experience as a learning opportunity. For the NEA it is not merely another “Who’s got talent?” event. Adjudicators of the NEA Adjudicators Forum adjudicate all performances with a focus on the individual achievement.
Participants are not compared with each other and no winners are announced in any of the adjudication sessions. In its quest for excellence in adjudication the NEA has established clear guidelines regarding the expected levels of performance and has defined a style of adjudication that acknowledges individual achievement and emphasizes the joy of participation in the arts.
“Adjudication in the arts is not only an evaluation of a performance, but also the art of sensing possibility”, says Dr Francois van den Berg CEO of the National Eisteddfod Academy. “Adjudication deals with human beings and their feelings. An insensitive adjudicator can kill underlying potential and future interest in the arts”.
In what categories can one participate?
A frequently asked question is : “In which art forms can I participate at the National Eisteddfod of South Africa?”
The Prospectus of the National Eisteddfod of South Africa comprises of the following sections that can be downloaded free of charge by registered individuals and institutions only. (To register, please click on the Login / Register button in the menu line.)
Click on any of the following topics for a brief overview of the various sections included in the Prospectus of the National Eisteddfod of South Africa:
- Confidence Builder
- Choral Music
- Instrumental Music(Classical and Contemporary)
- Vocal Music (Classical, Crossover and Contemporary)
- Dance
- Speech and Drama
- Creative Arts
- Participants with Different Abilities
- Indigenous Arts
When and where does it happen?
The annual National Eisteddfod is presented in various regions and provinces, mainly in the period August – October. The venues are mainly located at schools and other community facilities that are willing to host eisteddfod activities. Participation and adjudication usually takes place after school hours from 15:00 until 19:00 or as arranged with the participating schools / community.
How can one become involved?
The first step is to register your interest to become involved by registering on the NEA webpage:
How?
#Go to www.eisteddfod.co.za and select the Login / Register tab in the top right hand corner of the page.
#Select the Register Online tab to complete the online registration form.
#Once you have completed this process, you will receive a User code and password that should be used to login to the online entry page.
#This now gives you access to the complete Prospectus of the National Eisteddfod of South Africa® . This also allows you to submit your entries online without the need to complete any forms.
Where do I find the categories and entry numbers?
The User code and password that will be provided once you have completed your online registration give you access to all the National Eisteddfod online platforms:
1) Your login details gives you access to the complete Prospectus of the National Eisteddfod of South Africa®.
2) You can also use this login details to access the National Eisteddfod’s online entry page. If you prefer the traditional hardcopy entry format, you can also order a copy of the complete Prospectus from the NEA Office. You can them make copies of the various entry forms to complete and to submit to the NEA Office by email.
3) For a summary of the Prospectus please see the Prospectus button under “Entry Platfom” in the top menu line.
What are the closing dates and entry fees?
Entry fees are determined by:
- number of participants,
- date of entry
- format of submission (Online or in Hard copy format), and
- mode of presentation (Live Performance or Video Recorded Performance).
In the absence of sponsorships for the arts in recent years, income by way of the entry and door fees have been the main source of income to fund the activities of the National Eisteddfod of South Africa®. The entry fees are determined by the following:
Read more about the closing dates and entry fees