Goethe-Institut SA to host Cultural Economies Conference at Fak’ugesi Fest 2019

The event is part of the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival from 30 August to 8 September. The festival, which will run under the theme Own Your Force, will explore and celebrate technology and creativity by Africans for Africa.

“Stakeholders from across the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) are invited to take part in this exciting opportunity for engagement; in the hopes that they will be able to gain insight into the thinking of the CCI around their practice, realities and visions, particularly from an African and future-focused perspective,” Cultural Economies Conference project manager Bandile Gumbi said.

In the spirit of this year’s festival theme, the conference will bring together a spectrum of CCI contributors. From practitioners to policymakers, the programme will critically engage with the ecosystems and economies of local and continental CCI contexts.

The conference will feature future-focused and solutions-driven sessions that unpack the possibilities that tech and innovation offer the creative sector, with interrogation of topics such as the changing nature of storytelling and blockchain as highly anticipated highlights.

Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct CEO Lesley Williams says the venue is a natural meeting point for the digital arts community. “This is where African digital artists interact with counterparts from around the world, collaborate around best practice and create something truly memorable,” she said.

Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival director Tegan Bristow said: “We are looking forward to welcoming some of the continent’s leading digital thinkers and practitioners to share with us at this year’s event.”

The Cultural Economies Conference will also feature Nigerian film director, screenwriter and editor CJ Obasi and Netherlands-based Zimbabwean design strategist and innovator Babusi Nyoni. Obasi is best known for his debut feature ‘Ojuju’ – a zero-budget film that premiered at the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) in 2014. On the other hand, Nyoni created what Forbes Magazine describes as “the world’s first AI football commentator” for the UEFA Champions League. More recently, Nyoni made an app for the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease using computer vision.

For more information, visit the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival official website here. Tickets to the event are available here.