Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival: An ARTivistic Celebration and Ocean Charity Fundraiser

The Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival is a celebration of ocean culture, art, and environmental activism that recently took place in Cape Town. The festival’s primary goal is to raise public awareness of critical ocean issues and inspire people to protect what they love. This year’s edition, which featured a plethora of events, from screenings to talks, performances, and exhibitions, was successful in raising an astonishing R712 000 for ocean charities.

Sea Walls: South Africa – A Global Art Collaboration

One of the festival’s most exciting events was “Sea Walls: South Africa,” a global art collaboration between Wavescape, SJ Artists, and the Pangeaseed Foundation. The project aims to create a synergy between art and activism through murals commissioned in cities worldwide. The first of these murals were commissioned in Cape Town, along the Sea Point promenade, during the Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival and presented by Vans. The mural, created by local artist Nardstar*, features a powerful message of conservation and protection of marine life.

“A Drop of Paint Can Create an Ocean of Change” is the catchphrase that describes the mission of the Sea Walls: Artists for Oceans initiative. This program uses the ubiquitous power of art to inspire an emotional connection to the flora and wildlife of the ocean, hence boosting public awareness of significant concerns about the ocean. The Sea Walls project has already created more than 500 murals influenced by the ocean in towns located in 19 different countries; the painting in Cape Town is now a part of this expanding network.

A Diverse Range of Events and Activities

The Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival featured a wide variety of events and activities, each designed to appeal to a specific group of attendees and their particular areas of interest. The festival began with an outdoor showing of Birth of the Endless Summer at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which was presented in conjunction with the Galileo Cinema and was attended by more than 700 people. The movie was utterly sold out. Next, at the Bertha Movie House at the Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha, there was a showing of three films with ocean-related themes, and more than 70 young people were in attendance. After watching the films, the children were taken by Wavescape and 9Miles Project to Strandfontein Beach for a real-life ocean experience and a surf lesson.

At the festival’s main event, Slide Night, eight seafarers, ranging from scientists to large wave surfers, each spoke for ten minutes on a different topic related to the ocean at Cape Town’s famous Centre for the Book. The festival then worked with the Beach Co-op and Shark Spotters to host an underwater cleaning at Fish Hoek. Fifty snorkel divers worked together to recover numerous bags of rubbish from the bottom, and China TV was there to record a story on the event.

Children’s activities were synchronized to the musical vibes provided by DJ Roastin’ Records, and the event also featured demonstrations of sustainable surf items and firms that are sensitive to the environment. Sixty individuals were in attendance and competing at the alternative surf tournament hosted by the Sunburnt Surf Club. This was followed by screening two soulful surf movies at the Labia Theatre, which were both highly attended by a whole house of one hundred fifty people each. The third event was Wesgro’s Blue Ocean Masterclass, centered on aerial cinematography above the coast and ocean. Presentations were given by a gyrocopter pilot named Jean Tresfon, the founder of Darkwing Aerials called Dean Engela, content developer Hloni Coleman, and the sales guru for Orms named Jakkie le Roux.

The Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival: A Celebration of Ocean Culture and Activism

The Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival is more than just a surf and ocean festival. It is a celebration of ocean culture and activism that brings together people from all walks of life to raise awareness of critical ocean issues and inspire change. The festival creates a space for dialogue, reflection, and action through art, film, music, and community engagement. The success of this year’s edition, with its impressive fundraising efforts and diverse range of events and activities, is a testament to the growing interest and commitment to ocean conservation and sustainability.