The Civic Tech Innovation Forum and Jamfest have traditionally celebrated African innovation and recognised the artistic and cultural talents that inspire Africa’s creativity. This year, we continue with this tradition and invite musical artists to send in their applications to be a part of this exciting annual event.
About CTIN & Jamlab Africa
The Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN) is a Community of Practice (CoP) and action learning network for people with an interest and commitment to leveraging the nexus between technology and civic activism. Jamlab, short for the Journalism and Media Lab, is a project of the Wits Centre for Journalism and aims to support innovation in journalism and media in Africa.
About the conference
CTIN’s annual conference, the Civic Tech Innovation Forum (CTIF) is intended to enable the civic tech community and ecosystem actors to engage face-to-face (and virtually!), learn about innovations, tools, and techniques, share experiences, and meet potential collaborators. It presents an opportunity to gain an overview of what is going on in the sector in Africa and the world. The conference also provides an opportunity for CTIN to consult with network members to inform the design of future activities.
Jamfest is a conference that brings together journalists, media managers, and other stakeholders across the African continent to talk about innovations, content, and audience analytics, among other conversations.
These two events make up the joint conferences known as CTIF and Jamfest. This year’s conference takes place from the 16th to the 19th of October 2023. The theme is #AfricaFlows. See the blurb below to learn about this theme.
Introducing CTIF and Jamfest 2023: #AfrIcaFlows
From the outside looking in, Africa may look like a continent whose problems are ever-increasing or seemingly impossible to resolve. We might seem stuck. However, if you look closely enough, you will see a number of actors in civil society, education, government, and the private sector who are helping to move the continent forward. The Civic Tech Innovation Forum (CTIF) and Jamfest conference is an opportunity to showcase innovators in media and civic technology who are helping move Africa forward; innovators who are tributary streams, unclogging the continent’s rivers and letting them flow.
At the same time, we live in a technological age and Africa has significantly benefited from the interconnected world as we know it. Our interconnectedness has contributed to an understanding that Africans across the diaspora are on the same rocky seas, if not necessarily on the same boat. One takes care of the other. Within the tech and media ecosystems, civil society benefits from a symbiotic relationship between innovators, and also with government, the research, and business sectors.
Technology’s role as an accelerator of change requires agile people who are ready to develop, adopt and adapt it for their mutual benefit. Inherently, technology is not static but continues to move in new and exciting directions every year. This year, we look at how innovators have adapted to current changes in tech while testing their ability to adapt to these new ideas, and proactively plan for future technological advancements. How are these innovations received in Africa? How do these intelligences and practices flow? The quintessential question is, when faced with new opportunities, does #AfricaFlow?
Our call to action at CTIF and Jamfest 2023 is that Africa must flow. We understand flow to be a state of mind, creativity, and a state of readiness.
Flow speaks to our ability to create new pathways when old ways have failed. Flow is understanding we are never alone, and that there are others like us who are ready to collaborate and create solutions with us to generate greater possibilities.
Flow illustrates the confidence we have in our people’s resilience and their ability to adapt to change. Flow addresses intelligences, experiences, conversations, and practices that facilitate even more flow. We believe that our community of civic tech and media innovators are a symbol of our ability to flow, and we are ready to demonstrate that because of them, #AfrIcaFlows.
Our Flow metaphor also relates to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Imagine AI as a powerful stream of technology and data, and flow as the smooth and efficient movement of tasks and information. Just like a river, AI acts as a driving force that can enhance the flow of various processes in our lives. But just as a river’s flow is mitigated through channels, dams, and topographic changes to prevent flooding and destruction, AI to requires controls to see that it is developed and used ethically, e.g. with considerations for privacy, fairness, and accountability.
CTIF and Jamfest 2023 will help us understand the possibilities that lie in the different forms and ideas of flow that exist and furthermore understand how they can be used to create better futures for our African ecosystem.
Musical Performances at CTIF & Jamfest 2023
The musical performances at CTIF and Jamfest have always been more than just entertainment – they have been about creatively accentuating and enhancing innovation in general, and the conference experience and messaging specifically. The performances at this year’s conference need to help us amplify the message of #AfricaFlows. The musical performances need to show the continent’s creative spirit, adaptability, resilience, flair, and eclectic tastes.
View previous CTIF & Jamfest musical performances here.
Brief: Artist and Technical Requirements
This is an open call for young and upcoming musical artists based in Johannesburg. Selected candidates will get the opportunity to be contracted to perform at the #AfrIcaFlows conference in October.
This year we are making way for more artists to join the conference with pre-recorded online and/or live performances at the in-person event. Upon application, performers will be allocated either an online slot or an in-person slot at the Tshimologong precinct.
Applicants need to submit their expression of interest to perform at the #AfrIcaFlows conference using the following criteria.
Eligibility
- Applicants for online performances need to be based in South Africa.
- Applicants for in-person live performances at the Tshimologong Precinct need to be based in Johannesburg
Applicants must demonstrate that they can provide the following services:
- Curate and produce a set of video recordings that would include live performance recordings for the conference (ie do you have the means to do a live recording for an online audience)
- Edit and compile the audiovisual recording (sound with mixing and mastering, event captioning, etc.);
- Sign off an Agreement for the #AfrIcaFlows conference to use and promote recordings post-conference.
Performance Requirements
- Audio Visual recording no longer 3 – 5 minutes
- Artist to record/perform over a backing track. No live bands.
Application Process
Please submit the following documents via email to nkosinathi@civictech.africa with “CTIF and Jamfest 2023 Musical Performance Application (Online Performance) or CTIF and Jamfest 2023 Musical Performance Application (Live Performance) or ( CTIF and Jamfest 2023 Musical Performance Application (Online & Live Performance)” as the subject line by no later than Friday, 7 July 2023.
- A brief document describing your approach, and how the performances will align with the #AfricaFlows theme (see above)
- Service quotation in specific reference to all of the Brief Requirements including technical rider;
- Attach the applicant’s portfolio of evidence/detailed CV;
- The names and contact details (phone and email) of 2 referees you have worked with in the past
Selection
A maximum of four artists will be selected to perform at the conference. Three of these performers will perform online and one will perform both online and at the live event at the Tshimologong Precinct in Johannesburg.
Timelines
Appointed artists will be notified by no later than 24 July 2023. Should you not receive a response consider your application unsuccessful.
*Applications without ALL of the above will not be considered.
Terms and Conditions
- CTIN and Jamlab Africa reserve the right to use recordings submitted post-contracting for the #AfricaFlows conference on all our platforms
- The Wits School of Governance, Wits Commercial Enterprise, and Civic Tech Innovation Network reserve the right not to make an appointment and continue searching after the closing date. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
