Heat Festival

Name: Heat Festival
Start: 2026-08-06
End: 2026-08-15
Location: Cape Town

Heat Festival is a winter arts festival held from 6 to 15 August 2026 in Cape Town City Centre, featuring art exhibitions, jazz, opera, theatre, digital art and other creative programmes. The 2026 edition includes the theme Ctrl + Z and presents exhibitions such as As She Is as part of its festival programme.

Date: Aug 6-15, 2026
Location: Cape Town

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Event summary

Highlights

Art exhibitions across Cape Town City Centre venues
2026 theme Ctrl + Z
As She Is exhibition at 33BREE
Jazz, opera, theatre and digital art programming

Heat Festival takes place from 6 to 15 August 2026 across venues in Cape Town City Centre. The winter arts festival brings together visual arts exhibitions, jazz, opera, theatre and digital art, with programming focused on creative producers, emerging artists and live performers.

The 2026 edition uses the theme Ctrl + Z, exploring ideas of reconsidering social and cultural legacies through artistic expression. The opening programme includes multiple exhibitions and choral music, while the wider schedule includes performances, workshops, discussions, multimedia works and comedy events.

The festival programme also includes the As She Is exhibition at 33BREE in Cape Town, featuring portraits of women with disabilities and forming part of the festival activities celebrating Women’s Month.

Practical details

Before attending

Check the sources below for current opening times, admission prices and registration requirements. A date range does not mean the event runs continuously or that admission is free.