The annual festival – hosted by the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct celebrates the crossover of art, culture and technology and strives to support growth and development in the digital creative sectors in Africa.
JOHANNESBURG – The Fak’ugesi festival hopes to shine more light on African digital creatives as it hosts its ninth edition next month.
The annual festival – hosted by the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct celebrates the crossover of art, culture and technology and strives to support growth and development in the digital creative sectors in Africa.
Under the theme, From Now On this year the event aims at zoning in on the continent’s digital future post Covid-19 pandemic and lessons that can be derived from the pandemic. "We can use what we know of the now and project into the future to the spaces we will build together in the future."
FROM NOW ON 📢⚡⚡⚡👩🏼💻👨🏽💻⚡⚡⚡📢
Save the date from 13-21 October 2022 as we go online and live from Johannesburg, Braamfontein, South Africa.
Come join us! Tickets go on sale soon, pre-register NOW for your Early Trailblazer tickets. https://t.co/UCFYtfRyj7 #Fakugesi2022 pic.twitter.com/SIoyV98r9o
The event comes on the back of Tshimologong’s recent win – the 2022 honorary Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Chairperson’s Award for hosting the festival since 2014.
The festival’s creative director, Eduardo Cachucho told Eyewitness News that they are elated by the win.
“Winning the BASA Award for the the Fak’ugesi festival was a wonderful recognition of the incredible work that has been undertaken…to help build the creative industry through a festival that showcases pan-African talent,” said Cachucho.
READ: Tshimologong to bridge Limpopo’s rural digital divide with technology programme
https://t.co/nFiID8cGWi
The annual awards recognise the support of and partnerships with the arts, particularly from the private sector.
“We are lucky to be already working with some of the best companies in the world, but that said, we are always keen to work with organisations and institutions that will help us build the industry, create opportunities for African creatives to develop world-leading content, and to show the world what Africa can bring to the creative table,” said Cachucho.
The award also recognised Tshimologong Precinct’s commitment to the arts in the country through advocacy and awareness initiatives working with with WITS Digital Arts.
“We have always had a high representation of women and queer people in our programmes and activities, we’re always striving to have better and wider representation in our festival. 2022 is different and we’re planning even bigger things for 2023,” said Cachucho.
Tshimologong said it defines “digital innovation” as the intersection between hardware, software, and content.
They further point out that as a university-based incubator, entrepreneurship is at the centre of its operating practice making it the perfect base for the Fak’ugesi Festival, its attendees, creatives and makers.
“Access to technology is a major barrier, especially if you look at advanced technologies such as VR. We should be investing in community spaces that give access regularly to the public to test out, play with, and dream on. Tshimologong is already one of these spaces, and we hope that with input from the organisations and institutions mentioned above, we can help widen access to these technologies with project and programme collaborations,” concluded Cachucho.
The moment has arrived, we are about to announce the winners of the 25th BASA Awards, partnered by @Hollard. Good luck to all the finalists, you are all bright lights. pic.twitter.com/hJd3gaXbnm
–>