A vibrant moment at the Purple Mountain Arts Residency, where artists and locals come together to share stories, performances, and a sense of belonging.
Image: Carl Collison
The Purple Mountain Arts Residency will mark Human Rights Day this year with the launch of its inaugural Human and Environmental Rights Festival, a two-day programme of film, theatre storytelling and environmental education in the Western Cape rural town of Porterville.
The festival takes place from 20 to 21 March and aims to highlight the connection between human dignity and environmental stewardship through a series of free public events.
Darion Adams – 2026 Artist-in-Residence at Purple Mountain Arts Residency; filmmaker presenting Stories in die Wind and A Place Called Paradise.
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Hosted across several venues in the town, the programme includes film screenings, theatre performances, storytelling sessions and an educational veld walk exploring the region’s biodiversity. Light plant-based refreshments will be served at each event.
The festival opens with a film screening by Darion Adams, Purple Mountain Arts Residency’s first artist-in-residence for 2026. Presented as an initiative of the AIM Society, the screening will feature two films at the POP Centre in Monte Bertha.
Carron Vermeulen – Porterville municipal librarian; sharing insights on rural libraries, access to information and community stories.
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Stories in die Wind tells the story of a young girl who embarks on a journey to save her people and their land, while the documentary A Place Called Paradise explores the relationships people maintain with themselves, one another and the natural environment.
Education and storytelling form a central part of the programme.
Annelene van Wyk – Porterville librarian; co-hosting storytelling sessions that reflect life in a small rural South African town.
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Local librarians Carron Vermeulen and Annelene van Wyk will share their experiences working in the Porterville Municipal Library and reflect on the role of libraries in a small rural community.
Rupert Koopman – Award-winning South African botanist, tour guide and conservation consultant; leads educational veld walks exploring indigenous plants and herbs.
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Local primary school teacher and poet Florina Isaacs will host a storytelling session and poetry reading in her classroom at Porterville Primêr in Monte Bertha, sharing personal anecdotes alongside her poetry.
Florina Isaacs – Local primary school teacher and poet; leads ‘Stoep Stories’ blending personal anecdotes with heartfelt poetry.
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The festival will also feature an environmental “veld meander” led by award-winning South African botanist, tour guide and conservation consultant Rupert Koopman, who will guide participants through the indigenous plants and medicinal herbs found in the area.
A special in-conversation event will bring together two figures connected to the anti-apartheid struggle.
David Schmidt – Theatre artist; performing acclaimed solo show The Beta Man Alphabet, exploring identity, shame and the power of kindness.
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Philip Ivey, whose actions during the struggle helped spark the now-famous phrase “the purple shall govern”, will be in discussion with Rosie Campbell, who served as a covert anti-apartheid agent. Their conversation will reflect on the courage and activism that shaped South Africa’s democratic journey.
Philip Ivey – Anti-apartheid activist; instrumental in global campaigns of resistance and inspiration behind Purple Mountain Arts Residency’s name.
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The festival will conclude with David Schmidt’s solo theatre performance The Beta Man Alphabet, which drew strong attention at last year’s National Arts Festival in Makhanda. Described as raw, poignant and at times disarmingly funny, the production explores themes of identity, shame, vulnerability and the strength found in kindness.
Rosie Campbell – Former covert anti-apartheid agent; in conversation with Philip Ivey about past activism and human rights.
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Organisers say the festival is intended as a space for reflection, creativity and community engagement around the relationship between human rights and environmental responsibility.
All events are free and open to the public, although booking is required.
Carl Collison and Aldo Brincat at their home in Porterville, where their shared vision turned a farmhouse into the Purple Mountain Arts Residency.
Image: Carl Collison
Friday, 20 March
Film Screening: Darion Adams (AIM Society) – Stories in die Wind and A Place Called Paradise at the POP Centre, Monte Bertha, 7pm
Saturday, 21 March
Library Stories: Carron Vermeulen and Annelene van Wyk at Porterville Municipal Library, 10am
Veld Meander: Rupert Koopman – Indigenous plants and herbs walk, meeting at Porterville Tennis Courts (carpool), 11.30 am – 1pm
‘Stoep Storie’ and Poetry: Florina Isaacs at Porterville Primêr, Monte Bertha, 2pm
In Conversation: Anti-Apartheid Activists: Philip Ivey with Rosie Campbell at Aloe House, 4pm – 5pm
Solo Theatre Performance: David Schmidt – The Beta Man Alphabet at The Barn @ Howzit Growing Plant Nursery, 7pm
To reserve a place or request more information, organisers can be contacted via WhatsApp on 076 876 7298 or 079 776 1510.