MusicXwords is a developmental project implemented by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) in partnership with Cultural Relations Platform (CRP) and the EU Delegation to South Africa. The project’s aims include, but are not limited to, facilitating exchange between spoken word artists and musicians in South Africa; providing training to participants and offering showcasing opportunities to participants within South Africa and across Europe, while actively strengthening collaboration between South African artists and European festivals, bookers and programmers.
MusicXwords
Training, exchange & performing opportunities for musicians and spoken word artists
Sectors
2
Duration (months)
6
+
Participating country
1
Selected acts
5
CONNECTING ARTISTS TO EUROPEAN MARKETS
2021 PARTICIPANTS
HIGHLIGHTS
Why you should participate
The broader objectives of the programme are to:
- Create opportunities for local artists to connect with European festival programmers to expand their horizons and their audiences and showcase South African talent.
- Facilitate engagement between South African artists with European festival curators, promoters and programmers.
- Facilitate potential access to new audiences and networks locally and abroad.
- Create opportunities for knowledge-sharing and capacity building in the form of expert-led (digital and in person) workshops and training sessions.
- Increase visibility of South African music and creators and spoken word artists locally and abroad.
- Foster opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Key activities
- The project commences with cluster meetings between practitioners from Africa and Europe in August 2021.
- A call for applications is announced in August 2021, inviting spoken word artists and musicians based in South Africa to apply.
- A dedicated web platform on Music In Africa will promote participants, allowing them to showcase their content (audio and video). This platform acts as a virtual marketplace, allowing musicians to promote their music and spoken word content. Interested bookers also use this platform to discover and connect with local talent.
- A jury will select best applicants (up to 10) who will perform at a virtual concert in Johannesburg. All performers shall be paid for performances.
- Selected participants will also receive training in a workshop in Johannesburg.
- A showcase event (live performance) aired from Soda Studios in Johannesburg in October will offer participants a chance to showcase their talent to bookers from Europe and Africa.
- After the performance some performers will be selected to participate in festivals in Europe in 2022.
- In collaboration with the Cultural Relations Platform, the project will also offer participants access to a tailored directory of European festivals which they can use to explore new partnerships and opportunities.
The Music In Africa Foundation hopes that the project will also stimulate continued future EU-SA cultural relations in a way that is beneficial for all stakeholders.
The MusicXwords project is an initiative by the EU Delegation to South Africa, implemented in partnership with the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) and supported by the Cultural Relations Platform.
