Durban creative retreat
Dates: March 29th - April 1st 2024
Connect, Create & Explore
Spend a long weekend in a fabulous villa on Umhlanga beach with creative humans from Canada, South Africa and the world. Get into nature, experience the Durban vibe and relax by the pool. Enjoy a welcome ceremony while getting to know each other over a meal cooked for us by a local Zulu chef.
Tune into your artistic side with daily creative sessions in visual art and music lead by Pattern Nation’s Cyd Eva: Art Mentor & Costa Besta: Music Mentor. Be gifted a swag bag of art essentials to use during creative sessions and beyond.
Go out dancing, thrifting, swimming and more while exploring the beautiful city of Durban with us. Get out of your daily routines and reset in a stunning setting.
We are offering our most affordable rates for people living in South Africa to join our tour group for the easter long weekend.
“Cydney and Costa hosted and toured me around Durban for a week in 2018 and it was one of the most memorable trips of my life. They knew all the cool restaurants and artists, the best beaches and more. We did a photoshoot at a friend’s home in the jungle and I met many of their cool friends. I highly recommend a tour with them if you want an uncommon and artsy experience that you couldn’t get on your own without the help of all their connections and local knowledge.” - Alyssa Burtt (Brave Narrative)
Durban Excursions and Activities:
Welcome ceremony & private group dinner at our villa with Chef Blue Rock.
Daily Creative Sessions mentored by Cyd & Costa of Pattern Nation.
Trip to Max’s Lifestyle shisanyama in Umlazi Township for an epic day of Amapiano, Gqom and House music drinks and food with locals.
Go out Dancing with us! It’s easter weekend during when in Durban and the city is going to be turning up! Exact parties TBA closer to the tour dates but we always prioritize supporting LGBTQ2S+ spaces, supporting local artists, black communities and female run events.
Explore the stunning nature of Umhlanga beach which is walking distance from our accomadations.
Innercity Thift tour with Nipho and Yanga of @Tinz_clothing.
Accomdations:
TOUR PRICING:
Applications open until March 15th 2024.
These prices are exclusively for people living in South Africa & bordering countries. Pay Via EFT or Credit Card
All prices in ZAR, please contact us for CAD pricing.
Pay in 2 installments
R4500 total = 2 R2250 Installments for a single bed in a shared room
R4700 total = 2 R2350 Installments per person for a couple to share a double/ queen bed in a private room (couples)
R5000 total = 2 R2500 Installments for your own double/queen/single bed in a private room (solo traveler)
Pay in full & save R500
R4000 for a single bed in a shared room
R4200 per person for a couple to share a double/ queen bed in a private room (couples)
R4500 for your own double/queen/single bed in a private room (solo traveler)
Who are we?
We are the artists behind Pattern Nation, Cyd Eva & Costa Besta. Cyd is a queer visual artist and fashion designer from Coquitlam BC in So-called Canada who spent 2 months in Johannesburg completing an artist residency in 2017 when she met Costa and they joined forces as creative and life partners. She lived with Costa in Durban for 2.5 years and then they moved to Cape Town to study fashion for 1.5 years. She absolutely loved her time in South Africa and cannot wait to share with you many of the places and people that she has connected with during her time in the country. Costa Besta is Zulu South African and was born in the province of Kwazulu Natal, grew up in the Freestate and then lived in Durban for 10 years in his 20’s, after meeting Cyd he came to Vancouver and moved to Cape Town to study Fashion. He has an international diploma in Tourism and worked at a Backpackers in Durban and cannot wait to share his expertise, culture and community with you all!
If you choose to invest your time and money in travelling with us we will aim to make it an unforgettable experience in one of the most diverse and beautiful countries in the world!
Testimonials:
“Meeting Cyd and Costa felt like being reunited with long lost friends. I thoroughly enjoyed experiencing South Africa through their eyes and art.” - Kava Vasques
“I had a wonderful time with PatternNation in South Africa in 2018. I stayed at Pattern Palace in Durban - their home/studio space, and we also travelled to Port Saint-Johns and Johannesburg. Cydney and Costa are warm and welcoming beings, multi-talented and always creating. A true joy to be around.
I enjoyed sharing looks and style - as designers and collectors they have a strong range of colourful clothing and accessories. The vibes and sounds exchanged musically through DJing and production was fun.
Their work rate for making art - across their chosen forms - is prolific and inspiring.
A beautiful pair, a joy and blessing to spend time with, ever creative, colourful and uplifting.” - Cath Carver of Colour your City
What's Included:
Accommodations for 3 nights
Scheduled excursions & creative sessions
Breakfast & 3 Group Meals
Transportation to all excursions & workshops
Personalized Swag Bag of Art Supply Essentials
Not Included:
Transportation to and from Durban
Alcohol
Additional Food and Snacks