Are you prepared for the digital present?
This is a question creatives across the world must face as they step into their various crafts and fields.
With the increase of online publishing and continual buzz about NFTs and blockchain technology in art, creatives in the 21st Century need to be well-versed with digital tools and platforms if they want to keep sharing their fresh and unique stories and keep audiences engaged with their art. That is why the Baseline Academia conference set out to equip local creatives with the skills and knowledge needed to do just that.
About Baseline Academia
Baseline Academia is a digital publishing micro conference in which veteran digital content creators discuss the prevailing trends in online publishing, distribution, and monetization. Conversations and talks cover the use of blockchain technology in publishing for creatives, NFT’s in music, literature, and visual art, streaming and interactive media. Baseline Academia is the first conference part of Scripts and Bars.
Delivered by 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. The project is supported by British Council in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
The 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.
What Went Down
Baseline Academia was held on Saturday, 5 March, 2022 at Alliance Française, Harare. During the conference participants had the opportunity to learn about current trends in the world of digital publishing, NFTs and blockchain technology.
The conference was facilitated by a list of industry experts in digital publishing and NFTs and blockchain technology from Zimbabwe and the UK.
Several of the participants either had limited knowledge about NFTs and blockchain technology or were skeptical about venturing into these fields. But the conference cleared up that skepticism and increased their knowledge not only on this emerging technology but also on how to digitally sell, publish and share their work.
But the conference was not all work and no play as the participants were treated with several live performances from their counterparts. An inspirational poem by spoken word artist, Rutendorwashe, a moving rap by spoken-word artist D-Block and a sensational music performance by upcoming musicians, Cingi and Novuyo were just some of the amazing performances that took place.
Attendees and participants alike also had the pleasure seeing the amazing talent within the local creative industry by viewing and purchasing the artwork that was on exhibit throughout the conference.
During the conference several creatives expressed their realisation for the need to go digital and confessed that their initial perceptions of NFTs, blockchain technology and digital publishing had been reshaped.
It’s a good thing too as one of the conference’s facilitators, Music Producer and Recording Artist, VI the Law, quite frankly stated, “If you don’t adapt, you die. [Because] not only is the future digital but the present is digital.”
Thanks to this conference these young creatives have been equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in that digital present and share their fresh narratives and unique art with the world.
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.