Filling up HICC with a 100% local lineup will remain at the echelon of achievements in the past year for the Zimbabwean music industry. There is so much Atha this happened in the music industry and with 4 months to go there is a lot to look out for. After all that glitter and all that glamour that we have been seeing from one award ceremony to the next, we always end up with artists having to endure the glaring prospect of GoFundMes and begging bowls at the dusk of their careers.

If there is one grim and sore issue about the local industry it must be artist welfare.  There are dozens of reasons that are cast into the sphere when this issue is mentioned. We cannot talk about them and solve them all in one piece but one element that should be addressed and redressed with urgency is the issue of education on the artists’ end. Earground has been at the fore of this for years and they are not done yet.

The Amplifaya Creative Entrepreneurship Program (ACEP)

In that light, Earground has partnered with Gateway Stream, and they are hosting the Amplifaya Creative Entrepreneurship Program (ACEP) as part of the Amplifaya festival. The arts sector is transforming at an alarming pace and with more money going into this direction there is a need to impart entrepreneurial skills.

This is not only a preserve for artists but every player in the industry. The list of stakeholders includes managers, promoters, and the media. As part of the ACEP program a class on Digital Distribution and Copyright.

What To Look Out For

If you have been following the news recently then you have heard that DT Bio Mudimba of the Kujatajata fame lost digital distribution rights to two of his major songs. As part of Amplifaya Creative Entrepreneurship Program (ACEP), we have experts that will be going into detail on how artists can avoid copyright fraud and maximize return on their digital copyright. If we are going to have a billionaire spring up from the arts, this is a starting step in that direction.

The conference will also address extensively the issue of PR and marketing. With the growing influence of social media, it is important to ensure that artists understand just how much influence social media has on their careers.

The Speakers

If you thought the artist lineup for the Amplifaya festival was mind-blowing, then the lineup for the Amplifaya Creative Entrepreneurship Program (ACEP) will blow you off. One of the leading voices in the local media circles, James Jaricha is part of the lineup. Veteran PR guru, Chad Mhako also makes the list of amazing figures in not only the arts but the business sphere.  If you have been watching Nickelodeon Africa, one of the finest voices out of Africa who has made an impact on the channel is Lerai Rakoditsoe. ACEP is privileged to be having her as one of the key speakers at the workshop. It is important to get insight into people that have made it to the global stage and as part of ACEP, Earground seeks to do just that.

If you are involved in the arts, there is a need to ensure that you are well equipped intellectually and even more importantly in terms of viable connections in the industry. There is no better place to do this than the Amplifaya Creative Entrepreneurship Program (ACEP). Do not miss out!

The best part is that even if you by some miracle you  fail to get to the Workshop, Gateway Stream will be streaming the event live. You cannot miss that as well.