The future is digital.
With animation, NFTs, digital art and immersive platforms such as the Metaverse increasingly gaining traction, the need to utilise digital media and digital content creation tools grows stronger. The significant impact, challenges and long-term implications COVID-19 has had on the Creative sector is an important factor in the need for creatives to pivot to digital content creation and showcasing of their art.
If creatives across the globe want to sustain their hustle in the digital age, they need to be equipped with digital skills. That is exactly the purpose Vocal Vinyl Vortex Workshop. It equipped young creatives from the UK and Zimbabwe with the skills and knowledge they needed to enhance their digital content creation.
About the Vocal Vinyl Vortex Workshop
Vocal vinyl vortex is a next generation creative workshop which leverages collaborative digital content creation, short performances, talks and live demonstrations to showcase the potential of vocalists, spoken word artists and digital music creators working together beyond borders and other physical boundaries.
Vocalists/ storytellers and beat makers and or DJ’S participate in a capacity building digital skills workshop after which they will use the skills and knowledge to collaborate in creating new digital content.
Participants will present, perform and break-down the creative process for their performance and or art at a showcase event. At the event the audience is treated to a combination of entertainment and education through cross discipline performance art and presentations on how the magic was made.
What Went Down
The Vocal Vinyl Vortex Workshops were held on Saturday, 19 February hosted by Page Poetry Alive at Afrotopia in Harare and simultaneously in Bulawayo at the National Art Gallery hosted by Khura Agency. The workshops were facilitated by industry experts from Zimbabwe and the UK.
During the workshop, participants were given practical tips on how to best use free software as well as their phones to create content for radio and social media, how to build a lucrative online brand and given insight on how to navigate the digital workspace.
The highlight of the workshop was when the participants were put into groups and challenged to create radio ads by UK Hub, Reprezent, through the “Challenge Lash” video tutorial.
It was a collaborative effort that had the participants engaging in some friendly competition and banter. But what the young creatives came up with was truly promising and showcased the power of collaboration.
Whilst the interactive session had the participants laughing and clapping, their reason for being there was not forgotten. Several participants expressed gratitude for the insight they gained, the skills they acquired and the endless opportunities that workshop presented when it came to creating and promoting their work.
Most notably, following the group exercise, the participants were also able to see the value in collaborating with other creatives and appreciating the value chain in digital content creation.
Participants in Bulawayo enjoyed the interactive nature of the course and highlighted that the workshop inspired them to work on their own digital platforms and were keen to begin creating websites for their work. One participant even made headway on his own website following the completion of the workshop.
By the end of it, the participants were feeling more confident, equipped, and excited to continue and, in some cases, start their own digital content creation journeys.
As one of the participants, photographer and spoken word artist, Lennox expressed “The only way to beat the status quo is collaboration”. Not only have participants been equipped with the skills and the tools, they have made valuable connections that they can leverage for future collaborations and to thrive in a digital future.
About Comexposed
Comexposed is the organisation behind the Zimbabwean Digital Arts, Technology and Innovation Convention, Converge.
Comexposed is the collective effort of digital artists and creators in Zimbabwe showcasing their work, progress, and dreams and aims to bring together Zimbabwean digital creators under one banner to foster collaboration, knowledge sharing and growth in skills. To this end, Comexposed has built a community of digital creators breaking the boundaries in Zimbabwe, Africa and the World.
About the British Council
The British Council is the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities. British Council build’s connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language.
About Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)
The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is the agency for international cooperation of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA).
The SDC is responsible for the overall coordination with other federal authorities of development and cooperation with Eastern Europe as well as for humanitarian aid delivered by the Swiss Confederation.
About Khura Agency
Khura Agency is an A2B AGENCY – ARTIST TO BUSINESS agency helping artists do business creatively & efficiently.Khura provides the final connection with their audience, the smarter approach in the creative hustle.
About Reprezent
Broadcasting since 2011, and now from 3 shipping containers in Brixton, Reprezent Radio prides itself on its forward-thinking underground music. Reprezent’ s DJ’s and presenters all work in the music industry; produce their own music, run their own labels and club nights- meaning the station’s sound is always on the cutting edge of music- across every single genre imaginable.
About Page Poetry Alive
Page Poetry Alive (PPA) is a poetry collective that nurtures storytellers from page poets to Spoken Word artists with a focus on Youth Development and explorative work.
Founded in March 2017, PPA has become a hub for the growth of brands within the arts and culture sectors. It started as a hub serving a community of creatives from in and around Harare, but it has now spread to areas outside Zimbabwe and beyond: working with artists from Botswana, South Africa, Mozambique, UK, Barbados, Malawi, USA, Mauritius and Zambia. The main aim being to practice art coexistence and encourage experimental work while facilitating exchange across art forms.