Test Driving the Arts is a pilot project providing community-based artists with a performance opportunity at the Playhouse Company’s Porte Cochere (the covered area in front of the theatre complex).

The pilot project, which began in June 2001, has seen the Playhouse Company’s Porte Cochere area packed to capacity between 13h00 and 14h00 every Tuesday. Local audiences and many passing tourists have enjoyed the harmonising sounds of Afro jazz, gospel, isicathamiya, maskanda, pansula dancers and indlamu.

Test Driving the Arts has hosted over 100 groups from areas such as Lamontville, KwaMashu, Clermont, Ndwedwe, Inanda, KwaMakhutha, Chesterville and Mandeni.

The following programme takes place in June:

Jun 4:DSK, (Newlands East) Hip Hop & Kwaito and Comforters (Durban Central) Gospel.

Jun 11: MSV (Durban Central) Kwaito and Z-3 (Durban Central) Kwaito

Jun 18: Brothers of Joy (KwaMashu) Gospel and Fundakwezakhe (Durban Central) Gospel

Jun 25: Sasho (Durban Central) Kwaito and Inkinga (Durban Central) Maskanda

With the growing number of requests from the artists to perform, bookings are already full for this current year but applicants for 2003 are invited. Interested groups wishing to perform should contact Pinkie Mtshali on 031 369-9436.