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The Digital Innovation Festival at the forefront of Africa’s creative cultural and technology scene returns to its home in Braamfontein, Joburg’s Tshimologong Precinct with inaugural awards, its first Fak’uzine an interactive Expo and a feast of digital creativity

Proudly hosted by the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, the 9th edition of the Fak’ugesi Festival is a celebration of young Pan-African talent in the digital sphere at its fullest. With the announcement of the #FromNowOn theme and the release of this year’s programme – award applicants and attendees are ready for the festival that will commence on 13 October 2022.

The #FromNowOn theme aims to showcase the creative climate of a new age after the positive (and negative effects) of the pandemic and how it has shaped our youth. The theme calls for a moment to pause and reflect on where we are today and takes a look into Africa’s digital future.

Lesley Williams, Tshimologong CEO: “The intersection between creativity and technology provides an innovative lens of understanding the world and crafting new solutions to problems. As the home of Fak’ugesi, we curate an innovation ecosystem where the convergence of hardware, software and content takes place. We proudly convene Africa’s leading talent in creative innovation each year and look forward to seeing what their imaginations will construct this year #FromNowOn”

Eduardo Cachucho, our new Fak’ugesi Creative Director: “Fak’ugesi has been the place to find rising African creatives working in digital from across the continent since 2014, in 2022 we welcome you back in person and online to meet trailblazing creatives, innovative organisations and brilliant makers.”

Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in collaboration with WITS Digital Arts have received the 2022 Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) Chairperson’s Award for hosting the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival since its inception in 2014. The award was granted for the recognition of Tshimologong Precinct’s commitment to the arts in South Africa in the form of advocacy and awareness initiatives and/or direct support of the arts in collaboration with WITS Digital Arts. Tshimologong defines “digital innovation” as the intersection between hardware, software, and content. 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.

The 2022 programme

Fak’ugesi Festival invites the public to meet with, hear from and engage with trailblazing creatives, their work, and the future of creativity:

  • Virtual and in-person Conference (14-15 October)  for anyone with a passion for digital innovation – from beginners to experts.
  • Expo (14-16 October) stands for organisations at the cutting edge of digital innovation and exhibitions showcasing Africa’s leading digital innovation.
  • A family-friendly interactive Maker Day (16 October) filled with collaborative creative activity for makers to meet artists and learn from them during walkabouts and screenings – will take place on the 16th of October
  • The much-anticipated Pan-African Fak’ugesi Awards (21 October)will round off the festival in high spirits on the 21st of October.

Pre-register for early access and tickets to limited and special events.

Fak’ugesi poster and zine launch

To kick it off, the exciting poster launch encapsulates the #FromNowOn theme with a Utopian-take on the future of the digital realm and showcases the talents of competition winner Samuel B. Gillham (@bluetickboy) and his modern caricature.

In its first ever edition of the Fak’uzine Samuel introduces us to  “Maya ” a bona fide internet explorer and the new festival mascot. Download the Fak’uzine here.

Callout for Pan-African Fak’ugesi Awards applications

Fak’ugesi Awards for Digital Creativity calls for applicants to conclude their submissions by the 21st of September. The Awards have aimed to applaud African creativity in the digital space for 9 years and they will continue to support this growth in 2022 by awarding the best works across five categories which include: Arts (visual and performance), Animation, Music, Video Games and Extended Reality (AR and VR). The impressive jury board includes: Tegan Bristow (Chairperson), Isaac Mogajane (Animation), Jepchumba (Digital Arts), Hugo Obi (Gaming), Ingrid Kopp (XR), Nonku Phiri (Music).

More information and applications: https://fakugesi.co.za/awards-2022/

Enter the Jamz Competition

Jamz is an innovative combination of an animation jam and a video game hackathon for South African SMME’s. Where the jam and hackathon run in parallel with their own prizes Fak’ugesi also offer additional incentives for innovation in working across video games and animation. The competition calls for emerging video game and animation studios to develop their craft in a short period of time assisted by professional coordinators. Prizes include:

  • Prize for Video Games: 1 Year Incubation worth R600 000
  • Prize Animation: R50 000 Project Development Prize

More information and apply before 25 September: https://fakugesi.co.za/jamz/

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