The Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival will be taking place from the 6th to the 16th of September at the Tshimologong Precinct in Braamfontein. The 10-day programme will be jam packed with exciting events that will celebrate and bring to light innovative collaborations and the power of African cultures and digital technologies. For the first time since its inception, the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival will include a conference in its 2017 line-up.

 Highlighting the Role of Creativity and Technology in Africa

The 2017 Fak’ugesi Conference panel will be made up of experts in fields such as creativity, technology and innovation. The discussions will focus on the importance of collaborative practice in these fields. Keynote speakers will include well-known and respected draftsman, performer and filmmaker William Kentridge, and Kenyan-born creative director of African Digital Art (www.africandigitalart.com),  Jepchumba.

Conference Schedule:

9:30 Keynote by William Kentridge: “Enough and More Than Enough”

10:15 Techne Art and Invisibility: Johannesburg engaging art, technology and the digital. Panel: Curators of the 2nd Season of the Centre for the Less Good Idea: Jamal Nxedlana, Nhlanhla Mahlangu and Tegan Bristow with William Kentridge. Chaired by Bronwyn Lace.

11: 30 Future Media: Addressing changes and development of VR industries in South Africa. In partnership with Maxum Digital. Panel: Rick Treweek, Gareth Steele, James Gaydon and Yetunde Dada. Chaired by Christo Doherty.

11:30 Sonic Visions: Understanding new collaborations in film, design and music. In Partnership with Weheartbeat, British Council Connect ZA and The French Institute. Panel: Hannah Faith of Soulection and Foxy Neela of WeAreInBloom, Nonku Phiri, Rendani Nemakhavhani and Benoit Hicke (F.A.M.E Festival). Chaired by Dylan Valley.

14:00 Keynote by Jepchumba: “The African Digital Renaissance, New Frontiers and Territories”

14:45 Futures of Community Design: Conversations on community driven urban design through the use of new technologies. In partnership with Ericsson. Panel: Dr. Mpho Matsipa, Pontus Westerberg (UN Habitat), Marcus Nyberg (Ericsson) and more. Chaired by Dr. Costanza La Mantia.

14:45 Future Beats: How the digital age has inspired cross genre development. In Partnership with Weheartbeat. Panel: Masego, Joe Kay, Evil Needle and Petite Noir. Chaired by “Spoek Mathambo”.

16:00 Culture & Innovation, a Pan-African Conversion. Led by Jepchumba, artists of ColabNowNow from East, West and Southern Africa address questions around culture and technology in Africa. Panel: Mamadou Wane, Kampire Bahana, Mukhtara Yussuf, Lindokhlue Nkosi, Christopher Lutterodt-Quarcoo

17:00 Future Beat Demos. Curated by Weheartbeat, we end the conference with demo’s by Masego and Evil Needle and a listening session of new beats genres Hannah Faith.


Click here to book your tickets for the Fak’ugesi Conference.

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