Former South African president, political leader and revolutionist, Nelson Mandela once said – the future belongs to our youth.
If that is the case, then there is no better way to equip them to claim that future than creating initiatives that do so? That’s exactly what this new youth-aimed project Scripts and Bars is all about.
Scripts and Bars
Delivered by British Council in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) together with Kay Media Africa and UK-based Reprezent (UK), Scripts and Bars is a digital content creation programme that brings together 100 creatives from Zimbabwe and UK to deliver collaborative artwork across the Music and Literature sectors.
This exciting new project seeks to enhance the digital content creation capacity and enterprise skills of creatives and arts organisations in Zimbabwe whilst strengthening their livelihoods, supporting job creation and increasing their access to networks.
The project aims to support young creatives and arts organisations by:
- growing young people’s digital and entrepreneurial skills through collaboration with creative organisations
- enhancing their art making and support livelihoods and job creation
- stimulating Zimbabwean creative organisations and professionals in digital content creation, connecting individuals and organisations in the Music and Literature sectors to share, learn and collaborate
- developing and growing skills that lead to more professional opportunities for Zimbabwean creatives using digital content creation.
- supporting resilience of creative organisations, Hubs, and individual creatives by building competencies and strengthening them.
What’s in Store
The Scripts and Bars project runs from November 2021 to September 2022. The programme will feature an exciting array of:
- Business support services and masterclass clinics
- Capacity building workshops
- Showcase events and round-table talks
- Mixer/Meet Up Cocktail Events
The events and workshops will be facilitated by industry experts from Zimbabwe and the UK and organised by creative hubs Comexposed, Page Poetry Alive, Khura Agency from Zimbabwe and UK-based hub, Reprezent.
The Scripts and Bars programme will contribute to exploring what the future of digital content could look like, addressing issues that affect the youth and giving young artists and creative hubs the opportunity to showcase their work and build networks.
The Future is Creative
With the awareness of the social and economic impact of the creative economy increasing globally, it’s clear that creatives hold the future.
According to Bill Sonneborn, Senior Director of Disruptive Technology and Funds at IFC, “When artists are able to develop a local and global audience with corresponding monetization, they become part of a sector that offers direct and indirect employment opportunities and is worthy of investment.”
Meanwhile the Africa Centre states that the African Cultural and Creative industries have the ability to“provide a platform to resolve conflicts, increase tourism, combat climate change, support the rule of law, diversify economies, create new infrastructure, increase media and technology opportunities and change outdated narratives.”
This places youth in the fields of fashion, music, film and photography in the unique position to impact the future economies of their nations and the world at large through their art.
The Scripts and Bars project will support young artists, creative organisations and hubs by equipping them with skills and knowledge needed to build resilience that will prepare them for the future of the rising creative economy.
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. We build connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and other countries through arts and culture, education and the English language. Last year we reached over 80 million people directly and 791 million people overall including online, and through broadcasts and publications. Founded in 1934 we are a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body. We receive a 15 per cent core funding grant from the UK government.
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 is a poetry collective that nurtures storytellers from page poets to Spoken Word artists with a focus on Youth Development and explorative work.