Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival 2017 presents FAK’UGESI BEATS
FAK'UGESI BEATS 16TH SEPTEMBER FT MASEGO, ZAKI IBRAHIM, NONKU PHIRI, JOE KAY, MNDSGN, MELODIESINFONIE & EVIL NEEDLE, HANNAH FAITH, DOOWAP AND PETITE NOIR
Today Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival 2017 released a vast 10 day programme that will unfold at the Tshimologong Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein between the 6th and 16th of September 2017. As part of the 2017 programme, the festival also revealed an exciting new curatorial partnership with WeHeartBeat titled FAK’UGESI BEATSwhich focused on the intersection of music production, performance and technology through workshops, panel talks and the fesitval’s finale event Fak’ugesi Beats Bloc Party on 16thSeptember which boasts interactive arts and projections and a riveting lineup of both local and international powerhouses such as trap-jazz trailblazer Masego, Soulection founder Joe Kay, Stonesthrow beatmaker MNDSGN, European producers Melodiesinfonie and Evil Needle, Britain’s Hannah Faith and local luminaries Petite Noir, Nonku Phiri and Zaki Ibrahim. Local DJs include Doowap, Beat Sampras, micro.pluto, Symatics, Mr Moeh 24, Brownpepperann and Illa N
A digital showcase of massive proportions and the only one of its kind on the continent, the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival highlights the importance of the cross-over between culture, creativity and technology in Africa. With its prime focus on the continent’s novel cultures, entrepreneurs within the digital realm, the Fak’ugesi Festival is now in its fourth successful year using 2017 to focus on unearthing some of Africa’s bravest diamonds in the rough.
Data and dreams coalesce in a myriad of workshops, showcases, conferences and collaborative works for 10 awe-inspiring days in the city’s innovation district, as attendees make the journey from all over the SADC region. Founded by Prof. Christo Doherty and Tegan Bristow from Wits Digital Arts, alongside the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) and Tshimologong Precinct at Wits University, the moniker comes from the Zulu phrase “to add power” or to “turn on the electricity.” By adding a potent new element to the festival’s musical offering and joining forces with cut-cue-and-cover culturalists, Weheartbeat the team aims to do just that.
Founded by partners-in-rhyme Dominique Soma and Sims Phakisi, Weheartbeat has a penchant for selecting only the best in collaborators who emulate their love for, and investment in, the digital age of music. From the analog ones and twos of vinyl culture to the ever-burgeoning 0s and 1s of binary beatmaking, Weheartbeat has pioneered a new way of appreciating Africa’s own in the creative sphere with their many collaborative endeavors, shows, concept store and fan-first style of promotion.
Strong bonds throughout the industry and with the lauded Soulection, Mellow Orange and Stones Throw labels demonstrate the high production values and authenticity that Weheartbeat remain devoted to. Their capable and experienced team is now entrusted with the music-focussed segments of 2017’s expansive Fak’ugesi programme.
The Fak’ugesi Beat Lab is a week long journey into the world of music, tech and film - housing a selection of young people ready to polish and publish their original works. Sonic visions, future beats and how these disciplines intersect will be up for debate and dismantling, as Fak’ugesi Beats creates a space for young Africans to reimagine their own ways of creating.
As the festival finale, the Fak’ugesi Beats Block Party is the culmination of several working parts of the overall 10-day programme and is guaranteed to deliver an extraordinary audiovisual experience.
Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival 2017 presents Fak’ugesi Beats
7th - 16 Sept: Fak’ugesi Beats Lab, curated by Weheartbeat
Venue: Tshimologong Precinct
A lab driven by our new curatorial focus “Fak’ugesi Beats”, focusing on beat makers and videographers in collaboration from the UK, USA, France, Switzerland and South Africa.
16th Sept, Saturday: FAK’UGESI BEATS BLOC PARTY
Venue: Tshimologong Precinct
Time: 16:00 - 1:00
Tickets: R350 Early Bird Tickets via Quicket
See the Festival outcomes come to light at this festival finale, which promises interactive arts and projections, alongside riveting lineup of both local and international powerhouses such as trap-jazz trailblazer Masego; Soulection founder Joe Kay; Stonesthrow beatmaker MNDSGN; European producers Melodiesinfonie and Evil Needle, Britain’s Hannah Faith and local luminaries Nonku Phiri and Petite Noir.
ABOUT FAK’ UGESI
Fak’ugesi 2017: Africa’s biggest digital innovation festival returns this September
From 6 to 16 September, the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival will once again transform Johannesburg into a celebration of technology, creativity, collaboration and innovation from across the African continent.
With its bold theme of ‘brave tech hearts beat as one’ the 2017 festival is centred on pioneering uniquely African technology and creativity in an electrifying ten-day programme to showcase the power of innovative collaboration.
The Tshimologong Precinct located at 47 Juta Street in Braamfontein will be at the heart of festivities to include opportunities for attendees to meet, play and share at a variety of seminars, talks, exhibitions, workshops, hack-a-thons, music, films, artists, games, innovation riots and much more.
Now in its fourth successful year, Fak’ugesi was originally founded by Prof Christo Doherty and Tegan Bristow from Wits Digital Arts, together with Prof Barry Dwolatzky from the Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE). From the isiZulu term meaning “add power” or “put on the electricity”, Fak’ugesi acts as a platform that brings together diverse digital and technology sectors to collaborate and share skills in digital media and technology innovation.
In the spirit of exploring the importance of technology across sectors, from engineering, to gaming, to music, to public life and social development, the primary sponsors for Fak’ugesi 2017 are the Tshimologong Precinct, Ericsson, IBM Research | Africa and Red Bull. Secondary sponsors include UN Habitat, City of Johannesburg and Maxum Digital (Innovation Hub). They are joined by the festival’s cultural partners Pro Helvetia & ANT Fund, British Council ConnectZA, French Institute, Canada 150, University of Dundee, Wits School of the Arts, NEoN Festival and Weheartbeat.
2017 Festival Director, Tegan Bristow, says this year’s Fak’ugesi Festival promises to deliver an exceptional line up geared towards bringing tech innovation to people in a fun, accessible and playful way. “Some incredible highlights at this year’s festival will include the Fak’ugesi Conference, the hugely popular Making Weekend, as well as our annual Market Hack event at the Nieghbourgoods Market in Braamfontein. We’re also thrilled to announce an exciting new curatorial partnership titled Fak’ugesi Beats, a beats, music and technology focus curated by We Heart Beat, who will go on to lead festival finale Beats Bloc Party as part of their larger program.”
Just some of the key events in this year’s ‘brave tech hearts beat as one’ Fak’ugesi Festival include:
8 September: Digital Africa Exhibition Opening & Festival Launch
8 to 10 September: Making Weekend, a free workshop programme to promote and celebrate skills development and skills exchange in the digital and technological space, catering to a variety of ages and experience levels. This will include a special focus on community driven urban design via Mixed Reality and Minecraft with Ericsson, UN Habitat and the City of Johannesburg.
11 to 13 September: Daring Curating, International Forum for Art and Technology in Africa, drawing the festival’s theme of bravery and collaboration, this forum brings together practitioners at all levels of professional experience to debate issues around curating Art and Technology in Africa.
13 to 16 September: A MAZE, welcomes African and international game developers, digital artists, forward thinkers, entrepreneurs, and digital activists to South Africa to exchange tools, skills, and ideas in the fields of independent games and playful media.
14 September: Fak’ugesi Conference, this unmissable one-day event will highlight the important conversations on the role of collaboration and interdisciplinary practice for creativity, technology and innovation in Africa.
16 September: Fak’ugesi Beats Bloc Party, curated by We Heart Beat and featuring ColabNowNow by British Council ConnectZA together with Canada 150.
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