Second Music4Malawi project launched in Lilongwe

Music4Malawi is a music and creative resource-sharing platform under the Kwathu Innovation and Creative Centre, a hub run by the Ntha Foundation. It is funded by the Sound Connects Fund (SCF), an initiative by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) and Goethe-Institut.

The Malawi project will train young creatives in digital, entrepreneurial and creative skills through three flagship trainings: Digi Savvy (digital skills), Nyenyezi Fellowship (entrepreneurship) and Kwathu Upgrade (creative), which are aimed at building capacity for young artists and creatives in the country.

“The purpose of this event was to launch the second cohort of Music4Malawi and have the Music4Malawi Bants2Business event, a conversation about what it will take to take Malawian music global,” Ntha Foundation project lead Rhoda Kamwaza told Music In Africa.

The launch was held in association with EU Malawi and was attended by its ambassador, Rune Skinnebach, Malawi’s Ministry of Information director of information, Chikumbutso Mtumodzi, as well as local creatives and celebrities.

“The European Union in Malawi has expressed interest in being engaged in the full duration of the project, and has requested us to reach out whenever we feel we have areas of need that prove to be synergistic,” Kamwaza said. “The delegation was excited about this opportunity for young Malawian creatives, and immediately proposed their engagement in terms of how they can support the implementation of this project. Pending availability, the ambassador will likely be our guest of honour at the awards competition in late August or early September.”

Skinnebach wrote on social media: “I was honoured to host the launch of #Music4Malawi at the EU residence last night. Thank you Kwathu Centre, Ntha Foundation for bringing an incredible pool of creatives together. I look forward to working with you all on this project and in various capacities in the near future.”

The programmes’ participants will be paired with experienced mentors from the creative industry, who will provide valuable guidance and insights to refine their craft and navigate the music industry.

In late May, the MIAF and Goethe-Institut announced the third and final cohort of SCF beneficiaries. The announcement followed an open call targeting cultural organisations in nine Southern African countries, namely Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho and eSwatini. Some 120 applications were received, of which 14 beneficiaries were selected from eight countries and awarded different-sized funds amounting to €873 000. All projects will run until December 2023.

In addition to the SCF grant, the Ntha Foundation has worked with the MIAF through the Music in Africa Live (MIALive) project, which will see the foundation presenting a second live showcase later in the year.

“This is our second time working with the Music in Africa Foundation, and we are excited and grateful for this opportunity. This project will build capacity of Malawian artists and creatives from and based in Malawi through interactive workshops, content development and distribution. We are particularly excited for the final showcase, which will be held in early December,” Kamwaza said.

The Sound Connects Fund is made possible with funding from the ACP-EU Culture programme, a project implemented by the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and funded by the European Union (EU).