Creatives are excited about ‘Scripts and Bars’, a project birthed to create opportunities for creatives through digital content creation. The project, which started last year is a whole package that brings skills, knowledge, markets and networks to creatives through the digital space. It brings together creatives from Europe and Africa presenting them with opportunities for funding.
The organisers explained how, with the support of the British Council in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), they managed to bring two continents together through a digital content creation project.
“Kay Media Africa and UK-based Reprezent Radio (UK) are collaborating to deliver Scripts and Bars, a digital content creation project that brings together 100 creatives from Zimbabwe and UK to collaborate across the Music and Literature sectors”
Shared Kay Africa representative, Keith Kuhudzai in a media briefing.
He further explained how the project seeks to enhance young creatives’ digital and entrepreneurial skills as well as create a bridge for collaboration among organisations in the Music and Literature. “Creators and arts organisations within the music and literature sectors will go through digital and enterprise skills training and then be awarded grants for digital content creation projects and to explore new and sustainable business models.”, he said.
The project was motivated by how Covid-19 exposed the fragility of Africa’s Creative and Cultural Industries which was already characterized by volatile income generation.
This comes at a time when creatives are slowly healing from the impact of Covid-19 and are getting back to business. The skills and knowledge from the programme will support resilient and sustainable opportunities in the long run, enhancing digital content creation, content monetization and in turn healthy livelihoods.
The project, which premiered in November last year will continue until September 2022. We also know that it will feature an exciting array of:
- Business support services and master class clinics;
- Capacity building workshops;
- Collaborative Digital Content creation;
- Showcase events and round table talks; and
- Mixer/MeetUp Networking Cocktail Events.
Scripts and Bars has become one of the creative sector’s breakthroughs since the shutdowns of Covid-19. Many spoken word and visual artists have started collaborating and networking for the forthcoming events and they are hopeful for the outcomes of the programme.
“ I believe that the Scripts and Bars project has come at the right time as everything we have come to know is becoming more and more shaped by technology and digital. Because of this I believe that this programme will help me to learn more, discover more and also be able to share what I’ve learnt with the rest of the world”
Rumbidzayi Pasirayi-Gwabanayi: Poet and copywriter
Through the programme, creatives are already exploring the future of digital content. Scripts and Bars has hosted various events including workshops and a networking cocktail empowering local artists and creative hubs with the capacity to enhance as well as platforms to showcase their work and build networks they can leverage on. The remaining events and workshops organised by creative hubs that include Comexposed, Page Poetry Alive, and Khura Agency, will be facilitated by industry experts from Zimbabwe and the UK.
earground 