Nothing could beat the smiles on pupils’ faces as they showed off their talent in different activities as they participated in the Eisteddfod which has been taking place annually for the past 29 years.
Pupils at Bishops College were all over their campus, going to different venues to showcase their performances from 22 tot 24 June. There were many different activities – from visual arts, speech, drama, movement and photography to music.
The schoolgrounds, full of pupils and parents to cheer on their children, came to life with the different performances to celebrate the annual Bishops Eisteddfod. Last year’s Idols winner Vincent Bones was one of the judges of the competitions.
It was not just a competition to celebrate the arts and explore creativity, but also an opportunity to develop leadership skills in well-rounded future adults.
The event is sponsored by BDO South Africa. Antonie van der Hoek, managing partner in BDO’s Cape Town office, explains that South Africa needs to develop well-rounded individuals who embrace all aspects of life, both academic and cultural.
“Although the link between an accounting firm and the arts is not obvious, we believe strongly in supporting all aspects of education,” says van der Hoek.
Started by John Peake, headmaster of Bishops in the 1980s, the interhouse Eisteddfod has grown over the years and now marks a sense of tradition and status amongst the pupils. The event culminates in an interhouse singing competition.
The Bishops Eisteddfod is a pupil-driven event that challenges every pupil to get involved in the arts, either through performing or managing or both.
Mark Mitchell, Eisteddfod director at Bishops, says this unique cultural event asks pupils to step into a space that they might not normally find themselves in, and sends a message to the pupils about the valuable role the arts plays in creating richness in everyday life and society.
“It is always amazing to see the talent that emerges from all corners of the Bishops campus through this process,” he says
