KWANOJOLI – The bold, playful art of legendary South African artist Walter Battiss will come to life in his birthplace of KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) at the Battiss Art Festival from 14 to 16 November.
The festival is an arty, fun-filled weekend for the whole family, featuring art, live music, food, and creative workshops.
It is organised by the Walter Battiss Art Museum, which houses the largest public collection of the work of “South Africa’s Picasso”.
Inspired by Battiss’s creation of Fook Island, an “island of the imagination that is inside all of us”, the full weekend programme is geared to appeal to young and old, art lovers and those seeking to explore and unleash creativity, or just let their hair down, as the Eastern Cape Karoo town’s usual laidback air is transformed with vibrant colour and buzzing activities.
The festival includes guided small-group walkabouts of the Battiss Museum – with personal insights from curator Ros Turner, the “Queen of Fook” and a contemporary of Battiss.
The festival, now in its third edition, raises funds for the Walter Battiss Museum to support its operations, art outreach and maintenance of the collection, enabling broad access to Battiss’s works and his philosophy that art is essential to life and that everyone has an artist inside.
Battiss Museum chair Christina Groves said, “Battiss donated his art collection, chronicling 50 years of his work, to the museum, stipulating that it was ‘for all the people of Somerset East and South Africa’. In line with his legacy as an art educator and vision of art being accessible to all, the festival aims to ensure that the museum can continue to spread his message and inculcate a love of art and creative exploration in the community at large.”
“The festival is our key fundraising vehicle, offering a weekend that celebrates art and creativity in all its forms, with appeal to diverse audiences, in an atmosphere of playfulness, fantasy and joy.”
The weekend features an exhibition by guest artist Tony Pietersen, creative workshops, kids’ art competition and activities, parades, craft market, live music under the Karoo stars, performances, and plenty of opportunities to dress up and celebrate joy in colourful, free-spirited Battiss-style.
Highlights include the Friday evening Neon Safari, a hop-on-hop-off journey on colourful Fook Ferries through the town’s watering holes and eateries, each offering a free welcome drink, snacks and meals, with live music along the way.
Saturday kicks off with the KwaNojoli Parkrun adopting a “dress silly” theme for the weekly 5km walk/run, leading into the Unicorn & Bicycle Parade with festival-goers invited to dress up themselves and their horses or bikes and parade through the town.
Saturday’s activities – including the local arts, crafts and food market, a talent show, demonstrations and workshops – culminate in live music under the stars, Magé & Friends, featuring folk-soul powerhouse Magé.
A raffle will run throughout the weekend for a charcoal portrait to be drawn live by guest artist Tony Pietersen at the museum on 16 November.
Workshops and demonstrations include flower crown making, wax melts, natural wool dyeing, and sourdough focaccia decorating.
“The Karoo is a place where creativity thrives — a region that has inspired artists for generations,” said Groves.
“The Walter Battiss Art Festival offers more than just art — it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and connection. Guests from near and far are invited to leave behind city hustle and traffic lights and embrace a weekend where life slows down but becomes infinitely richer. Expect not only extraordinary art, but also fun for the whole family, local culture, and the unforgettable charm of the Karoo.”
About the Walter Battiss Art Museum
The museum is housed in an early 19th century building that was once an officer’s barracks, and later the Battiss Private Hotel from 1914 to 1917.
Battiss, born in KwaNojoli in 1906, bequeathed the building to “Somerset East and South Africa” in 1981, along with his collection of his own works, works by other artists, and his archives of personal documents and manuscripts describing his philosophy, work and Fook Island, books, family photographs and memorabilia.
Battiss’ works on display at the museum range from oils and watercolours to graphic art, sketches and tapestries.
For ticket bookings visit Quicket.
For more information on the workshops and guided museum tours (booked separately) visit the Walter Battiss Art Museum on Facebook or contact Christina Groves at 076 534 3225 or Ros Turner at 073 698 6539.
