Gautrain is trying to dispel the stigma that it's only for the elite through its collaboration with the Market Theatre.
There are perceptions around the Gautrain being a mode of transport for the elite.
The Gautrain, with its gold, grey, and blue hues, is quite different from the old-school yellow and shades of grey trains.
You would know that art, be it singing, dancing, or acting, is commonplace on various carriages of the old trains.
However, the Gautrain is trying to dispel those stigmas in its collaboration with the Market Theatre.
“Until you change somebody’s facts and their understanding of what the reality is of what they’re looking at, somebody’s perception is always their reality,” CEO of the Gautrain Management Agency, Tshepo Kgobe, told The Citizen.
The commuter rail system has collaborated with The Market Theatre in what is dubbed ‘Art in Transit’ during Transport Month, which was launched in Sandton on Friday.
“We’re trying to change that reality and make sure that people can understand, you can use the Gautrain. You’ve seen us launching products such as Kleva Mova, the Gausaver…and a whole more products that we’ll launch as we continue,” added Kgobe.
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Art in Transit
The Art in Transit project is designed to reimagine Gautrain spaces – from platforms to trains and buses – as vibrant, inclusive environments where all South Africans feel seen, inspired, and connected.
By integrating curated visual and performance art across the network, the project aims to enhance the passenger experience while reflecting the country’s rich diversity, heritage, and creative spirit.
Kgobe said when he took over as CEO of the Gautrain in early 2024, he emphasised transport as a lifestyle product.
“When you think of transport as a lifestyle product, you have to be able to think about how you infuse transport in the way the people live, you infuse transport in the way in which they access recreational areas , the way in which they access art” he said.
In late August, Gautrain and the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) ran special late-night train services to accommodate thousands of fans attending the Scorpion Kings.
“It’s not a gimmick, this is about us not only being relatable, but being for the people and about the people.”
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Making art accessible
Another perception is that theatres and art in general are inaccessible to the layman. This is particularly true when it comes to theatres, which many see as an abode for the bourgeoisie.
“If you think about the history of old trains that travelled from townships, there was always some performative element,” The Market Theatre Foundation’s CEO, Tshiamo Mokgadi told this publication.
The CEO has welcomed the collaboration with Gautrain and sees it as a way of meeting people where they are.
“The numbers are going down, the amount of time it takes for people to commute [to the theatre] we take that for granted,” said Mokgadi.
“Marketing is one way to get out the word that we’ve got shows, but what about us getting out of our comfort zones and spaces and actually meeting people where they are.”
Mokgadi said the collaboration with Gautrian made sense because the commuter rail system literally moves people from one place to another, while the theatre moves them emotionally and psychologically.
Kobe said they decided to collaborate with the Market Theatre because of its rich heritage in the arts.
“You know when you think of the Market Theatre you think about the heritage that goes with it, and you think about how it relates in the city of gold. If you think of great artists that have come from the Market Theatre, you think of people who’ve performed at the Market Theatre,” he said.
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Market Theatre’s 50th anniversary
The Art in Transit initiative isn’t a one-off, but it will be a continuous project that will feature other forms of art at Gautrain stations.
“The hope is that we bring to commuters bits of storytelling, art and visual storytelling over the next few months and certainly into next year,” said Greg Homann as its artistic director at the Market Theatre.
The Market Theatre marks 50 years of existence in 2026, and Homann said they’ve already started planning for the anniversary.
“We’re deep into planning our 50th year; we’ve got lots of stuff that we’ll start to be shared towards the end of this year and certainly into next year. Our official birthday month is June next year, and we happened to have opened our doors the same week as June 16 1976, so our connection to the history of the country and to those big national moments is deeply intertwined.”
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[SRC] https://www.citizen.co.za/lifestyle/art-in-transit-gautrain-collaborates-with-market-theatre-in-bid-to-make-art-and-train-accessible/
