Aardklop is an annual South African arts festival held since 1998 in the town of Potchefstroom

Potchefstroom, North West

Potchefstroom is an academic city in the North West Province of South Africa. It hosts the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University...

 in the North-West province of South Africa. This cultural festival incorporates predominantly Afrikaans

Afrikaans

Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...

theatre, dance, music, cabaret and visual arts, and is held in a variety of venues in and around the town. A large craft market and open-air performances also form part of the event, drawing crowds of more than 150 000 people every year. The next festival will be held from 4 to 8 October 2011.

Vision, Mission & Values

The stated vision of the festival is to host a sustainable festival, of the highest standards.

Mission:

• Aardklop is an annual national arts festival that wishes to distinguish itself as a festival of the highest standards.
• Aardklop makes a constructive contribution to the celebration and development of local arts in a universal context.
• Aardklop strives to provide a platform for the creative talents of South African artists.
• Aardklop is a showcase of the best in current and developmental tendencies within the local and international arts communities.
• Aardklop establishes a unique platform for up-and-coming artists to perform alongside established performers.
• Aardklop acknowledges its responsibility towards social development.
• Aardklop supports close working relations with other festivals.
• Aardklop, though it focuses on Afrikaans, is committed to a universal character, just as Afrikaans forms part of a wider community.

Values:

• Passion for the arts
• Discipline
• Daring
• Integrity
• Quality