Music In Africa Foundation launches MusicXwords initiative

The initiative is designed to provide participants with training and opportunities to showcase their content in South Africa and Europe, while strengthening collaboration between the artists, European festivals, booking agents and programmers.

MusicXwords will facilitate knowledge sharing and capacity building through workshops and training sessions. It will foster opportunities for collaboration and enhance the visibility of the participants with potential exposure to new audiences and networks in Africa and Europe. Participants will also get access to a bespoke European festival directory, which they can use to explore new partnerships and opportunities.

How MusicXwords works

• The MIAF has launched an open call inviting spoken word artists and musicians based in South Africa to apply for the MusicXwords programme. View the open call here and apply before the 22 September deadline.
• A dedicated web platform on Music In Africa will promote the selected participants, allowing them to showcase their audio and video content to European festivals, bookers and programmers. The platform will also act as a virtual marketplace, allowing musicians to promote their music and spoken word content seamlessly.
• A jury will select the best applicants (up to 10) who will perform at a virtual concert in Johannesburg. All performers will be paid for the performances.
• Selected participants (up to 30) will receive training during a workshop in Johannesburg.
• A showcase event (live performance) aired from Soda Studios in Johannesburg in October will offer participants a chance to showcase their talent to bookers from Europe and Africa.
• After the showcase, a minimum of five performers will be selected to participate to festivals in Europe in 2022.

“We are incredibly excited about the MusicXwords initiative, particularly because we will see at least five talented artists sharing their art with new audiences across Europe,” MIAF projects manager Violet Maila said. “This project is envisioned to spur creativity, collaboration and new works for our participants, who will expand their knowledge and be inspired to take their craft to the next level. We would like to thank our partner, the European Union Delegation to South Africa and the Cultural Relations Platform, for their support in providing valuable opportunities for these artists.”

About MusicXwords

The MusicXwords project is an initiative by the EU Delegation to South Africa, implemented in partnership with the Music In Africa Foundation and supported by the Cultural Relations Platform.

About the Music In Africa Foundation

The MIAF is a pan-African, non-profit organisation based in Rosebank, Johannesburg, with satellite offices in East, West and Central Africa. The MIAF’s mission is to support the African music sector through promoting knowledge exchange and creating opportunities and capacity for music professionals. The foundation does this in two ways: digitally via the Music In Africa website (www.musicinafrica.net) and offline through training programmes, artist mobility programmes, workshops, concerts, lobbying, conferences and other related initiatives.

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About the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa

Since the establishment of the European Union Delegation in the country after the first democratic elections in 1994, the EU and South Africa saw rapidly expanded cooperation. The relations were strengthened in 2007 with the establishment of the EU-South Africa Strategic Partnership, a forward-looking platform that facilitates wide-ranging cooperation between our two parties. A range of dialogues between the EU and South Africa allow to share experiences in areas of common interest, or where challenges have to be faced. Areas covered by these dialogues include education, health, energy, the environment, macro-economic policies, human rights, peace and security including maritime security. The partnership is broad and comprehensive and covers political, trade and development interests, as well as cultural relations. Except for consular tasks, the Delegation in Pretoria functions like an embassy; it is a diplomatic mission representing the European Union to South Africa together with the 27 Member States of the European Union.

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About the Cultural Relations Platform

Launched in April 2020 by the European Union, the Cultural Relations Platform (CRP) is designed to strengthen the EU’s ability to engage meaningfully with different audiences and stakeholders in its partner countries, through enhanced cultural relations and cultural cooperation. The Platform aims to promote and facilitate sustainable cultural exchange, support cooperation among cultural and creative sectors, and strengthen communities and networks of cultural practitioners. It supports and funds several activities in partner countries around the globe, including in collaboration with the EU delegations Worldwide.

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