Palesa Kadi

Chief Executive Officer, National Arts Festival

Palesa Kadi is Chief Executive Officer of National Arts Festival, in the role since August 2026.

The National Arts Festival is South Africa's largest annual arts festival, held each winter in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape. Kadi took over after the 52nd edition in 2026, with government funding for the festival no longer automatic.

In the job

  1. The National Arts Festival announced Kadi as its new chief executive, to start on 1 August 2026, as outgoing chief executive Monica Newton stepped down after the 2026 festival. Source

Career before

  1. Chair, Mandela Bay Theatre Complex
  2. Board member, South African Broadcasting Corporation
  3. Senior roles, Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
  4. Senior roles, Film and Publication Board
  5. Senior roles, National Heritage Council
  6. Senior roles, National Department of Tourism and Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality

Education

Master's and BA Honours in Political Studies and Comparative Economics, University of the Western Cape; Postgraduate Diploma in Management, University of the Witwatersrand; PhD in progress at the University of Pretoria

Sources

  1. citylifearts.co.za
  2. grocotts.ru.ac.za
  3. dailydispatch.co.za
  4. mg.co.za

Facts last checked 3 November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.

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