Call for participation: Free creative workshops in South Africa

The Nelson Mandela – The Song Lives On project intertwines music and spoken word with the words of former South African president and freedom fighter to create a dialogue. The music pays close attention to the pace and rhythm of Madiba’s delivery of his speeches, making sure that the spirit and energy behind his words remain intact.

“There remains a wealth of words of power, love, courage and healing that Mandela left us with and we want to make sure that the impact of those words continues to interrogate our past, challenge our present and lead us to action into a future of equal rights for all,” a statement says.

The workshops are created to:

• Inspire young artists to tap into their history and heritage as tools in creating new artistic works.
• To educate artists on how to approach the arts as a business and how to navigate this ever-changing creative space.

The project was created by South African composers and educators Concord Nkabinde and David Klassen. Other members include musicians Nomfundo Xaluva, Puno Selesho and Phuti Sepuru.

"In the creative industries, there aren’t many opportunities where the gap between developing and experienced artists is breached,” bass guitarist Nkabinde told Music In Africa.

“Through this project, we aim to share how we practically navigate the industry with its constant changes. We also present this project as an example of how we can create new artistic works that are informed by our heritage.”

Nelson Mandela – The Song Lives On is supported by the UWC-Robben Island Mayibuye Archive, which holds an extensive collection of struggle, social and cultural history.

For more information about the Nelson Mandela – Song Lives On project, email [email protected].