Sauti za Busara to move and shake with dialogues

Attracting professionals from Dar es Salaam to Dakar, the Movers & Shakers sessions will provide music industry leaders with a platform to share information and network.

On Friday, the series will address the topic of digital opportunities and challenges facing the music industry. Guest panelists Jude Clark, founder of Joose Digital, and Eddie Hatitye, director of Music in Africa, will share their expertise in the areas of copyright, digitisation, global music markets and information technology.

Attendees will also explore the power of social media to connect with fans and potential investors, as well as to increase their online presence in the global marketplace.

One of the topics up for discussion will be on how artists negotiate the fine line between freedom of expression and censorship in the arts.

Saturday’s session will investigate ‘How Free is Free? Reflections on Freedom of Creative Expression in Africa’, a report written by 25 authors from 14 countries. The report was co-produced with Artwatch Africa as part of Arterial Network, which aims to defend freedom of creative expression on the continent.

Panelists include Nelson Mandela of Sarabi Group (Kenya), Mamou Daffe, director of Mali's Festival sur le Niger, and the director of the Board of Censors in Zanzibar, Dr Omar Abdalla Adam.

On Sunday, artists are expected to attend an intimate Q&A session where they will exchange information. Pat Thomas and Kyekyeku (Ghana), Roland Tchakounte (Cameroon), Bi Mariam Hamdani (Zanzibar) and Sahra Halgan (Somaliland) will participate in the session, which will be moderated by festival manager Journey Ramadhan.

The Movers & Shakers sessions will convene daily from 2pm to 3.30pm at Monsoon Restaurant, Stone Town. Admission is by invitation only and artists and managers are encouraged to contact Sauti za Busara festival if they wish to participate.