26 June 2026
A buzz permeated the air at Clifton on Thursday evening as the school concluded its annual Arts Festival and the second term with the Concert on the Lawns, in front of Founders House, where families gathered, picnicked, and enjoyed the music.
They were greeted by a mild Durban winter’s evening, which resulted in large numbers coming out to enjoy the concert, visiting the Night Market and grabbing a bite to eat at the Food Court, which painted a pretty picture under the trees that were lit up by strung-up lights in the College Quad.
In the foyer of the Ken Mackenzie Hall, artists exhibited some of their works, while in the Ken Mackenzie Hall itself, visitors browsed and bought goods from the Night Market.
Shaun McCabe, Clifton’s Director of the Arts, shared how the Clifton Arts Festival, previously known as Cultural D@ze, which started over a decade ago, has grown to become a huge highlight on the school’s annual calendar.
“We recognised that the end of the term was a perfect opportunity to explore the cultural aspect of the school, which was why we used to call it Cultural D@ze,” he explained.
“[To begin with], it was a few things during the day. The Prep would do workshops. We would have a few concerts, and we always ended with the Concert on the Lawns, which used to be during the day.
“A few years ago, we decided to do it at night. Then, another layer was added where the teacher in charge of community service suggested we have a market because we could sell tables to people, and those tables could generate funding for community service projects. Then we said, ’Cool, let’s do an art fair.
“What happened is that we got to a point where it outgrew its original vision of being Cultural D@ze during the day. That’s why, last year, we rebranded it as an arts festival. We introduced College workshops. The Prep school boys had workshops in the morning, then the College boys had them.
“We introduced a theatre production because one of the things that happened was that everything was dumped on the music department at the end of the term, which was really unfair. That’s why we said if we are going to be serious about the arts, we need to have outsiders coming in, because that’s equally as good as having boys involved.
“Last year, we had ‘King of Broken Things‘, and this year, we had ‘Vincent‘. Next year, we will find an anchor in that opening, and we’ll diversify.”
McCabe said that while the Clifton Arts Festival has a programme, it is organic. ” We looked at what we did last year, and we tweaked it this year. I know already – this is what is amazing working with creatives – even before the event, they’re saying ‘When we do this next year…’ We’re not even through this one, and we’re talking about next year.
“Their minds work in such a way that they know how it can be better. The idea was always for it to be organic and to add in a layer each year and bring in different elements of the community.”
He explained that the festival is not just about Clifton’s boys. It’s also about getting parents actively involved and inviting other schools to participate in the event.
“This year, the concert was started by Virginia Prep and Maris Stella. We want to bring our feeder schools onto campus, and we want to maintain our links with them. Next year, we’ll have another primary school and another high school. It’s about extending the feelers and the roots into the community, without having to worry about doing the same thing every year.
“Those things that happen during the day and the week have to be organic. It’s about finding the right performance and the right time.”
Crucially, he explained, the Clifton Arts Festival is about supporting the arts, not just at the school, but in Durban and KwaZulu-Natal.
“Nothing we do is meant to be competitive. It’s meant to be collaborative. It’s meant to be mutually supportive,” he said.
“We like to support as much as we can because it is really important, particularly in the arts space in a city that struggles with the arts. That’s why everything we do is meant to be collaborative; we’ll support you, you support us. Let’s find the time and space to integrate and collaborate.
“There was the 031 Festival. It wasn’t necessarily a DHS thing, but it was at DHS. Let’s go there.
“We’re sending boys to Hilton to Jongosi (the Hilton Arts Festival’s dedicated youth programme).
“We want to support each other because it’s not a space that is competitive. We need to be supportive, particularly in a city that struggles with the arts, and also in a country where arts funding is under serious fire.
“It’s about claiming that space and making sure that the space is there and used.”
Music is a key component of education at Clifton, and it includes every boy in the Prep learning how to play an instrument. It’s the close ties between the Prep and the College that set the school apart, McCabe said.
“A lot of primary schools have music, but what they don’t have is the arc (primary school to high school). What they will never have is a grade 4 or 5 where he can watch somebody in Grades 11 or 12 play and say, ‘That’s where I want to be’.
“Those standalone primary schools don’t have a senior boy watching a grade 4 boy and saying, ‘Awesome, you’re going to become amazing.'”
Coupled with the day-to-day ties between the Prep and College boys that occur on the Clifton campus, which includes the seniors mentoring the juniors, Clifton’s young musicians are also blessed with an outstanding music department, which includes teachers who are also active performers.
“Shelley [McLean Downham] is a fantastic example of that, of someone who has worked in the industry and understands the nuances of performance and what the audience will more likely receive well. That’s a huge advantage at this school,” McCabe said before hurrying back to continue enjoying “My favourite night of the year!”