The OK Guide to Cape Town: Arts and Culture

Music

Good spots for live music in town include Zula Sound Bar and The Waiting Room (Long Street); Straight No Chaser for serious, intimate jazz (Zonnebloem); and Mercury Live and theAssembly (Zonnebloem) for dance and rock. Further out, there are some decent spots in Observatory with erratic schedules and talent (Tagore's, Obviouzly Armchair; Obz Cafe; Mojo's).

Theatre

Artscape, the Fugard Theatre, and the Baxter Theatre generally put on good productions that – from an international perspective – are amazing value.

Maynardville Open-Air Theatre makes for a great picnic and show in Wynberg during the summer.

Be on the look-out for interesting theatre festivals, especially the free public-art festival Infecting the City (in March).

Art

Cape Town has a number of good small galleries and exhibitors. Here are a few favorite spaces in town:

·      Salon 91 (Gardens, 91 Kloof St)

·      AVA Gallery (Town, 35 Church St)

·      SMAC Gallery (Town, Cnr Buitengracht & Butensingel)

·      SA National Gallery (Company's Garden; small but usually solid)

·      Erdmann Contemporary (town, 63 shortmarket St)

·      Commune1 (town, 64 Wale St)

Woodstock is a fun neighborhood for gallery hopping and offbeat shops.

·      A Word of Art (rotating)

·      Stevenson Cape Town (160 Sir Lowry Rd)

·      Goodman Gallery (176 Sir Lowry Rd)

·      Blank Projects (113 Sir Lowry Rd)

Urban wanderings: 

·      Long Street: antique shops, hip boutiques, and colorful facades

·      Bo-Kaap: Cape Muslim history, brightly painted houses of every shade

·      Company's Garden: pretty garden in town with many museums and great views of the mountains

·      Woodstock: art galleries, grungy urban renewal, and funky shops

·      Sea Point Promenade: stroll along the sea wall, stop as you wish at beaches and saltwater pools

·      Muizenberg / Kalk Bay: take the train to cute beachfront towns on the False Bay side; decent swimming, cute boutiques, delicious seafood (a.k.a. the perfect day-trip)