This year’s Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation festival casts the spotlight on high-tech collaborations while exposing African cultural heritage to virtual experiences.
Held under the theme #PowerToThePixel – Powering Up Africa’s Resolution, the month-long symposium offers high-tech enthusiasts a platform to meet, exchange innovative ideas and discuss the latest industry trends.
The festival invests in the incubation of digital entrepreneurs, commercialises tech research and pioneers the development of high-level digital skills for students, working professionals and unemployed youth. It’s on until Friday, 20 November at the Tshimologong tech precinct in Braamfontein.
Through collaborations with academia, corporates, government and entrepreneurs, the precinct aims to inspire African digital innovation, propel entrepreneurship and grow tech skills for the global digital economy. It is based on the same concept as Silicon Valley in the US.
The 2020 edition of Fak’ugesi, held under the auspices of the Wits School of Arts is anchored by a strong African heritage and technology programme, which will be rolled out through virtual networks and live interactions.
The heritage and technology programme is one of three themed focus areas for this year’s festival and will run alongside the African Digital Art theme and the ever-popular gaming-centred Fak’ugesi Arcade.
The heritage and technology programme is held in partnership with leading lights in the creative technology as well as gallery, library, archive and museum (GLAM) space.
Fak’ugesi Director, Dr Tegan Bristow says this year’s festival is designed to boost digital artists, illustrators, and creatives across the continent.
“Under the heritage and technology theme we’ll be asking critical questions of how the digital creative industries and GLAM spaces can work together to build world-class interactions,” says Dr Bristow.
Stefanie Kastner, the Regional Head of Information at Goethe-Institut South Africa says Fak’ugesi presents tech aficionados the opportunity to lead the development of innovative socioeconomic solutions.
“As we begin taking the first steps in recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, we are all responsible for building a new normal that will shape our future,” says Kastner.
Fak’ugesi, loosely translated as “Switch it on” or “add power” in urban Zulu, focuses on urbane culture, technology and innovation in Africa. It is an opportunity for young adults, with or without formal education to learn and engage technology
