16 innovators ready for Creative Futures gathering

Featuring creative exchanges, collaborations, talks, performances and a live music party, the British Council Connect ZA initiative, Creative Futures, will bring exciting new creative talent from Southern & West Africa and the UK together in one city to create an experiential exchange of knowledge, practice and creativity.

Young innovators and entrepreneurs that have been selected to take part in the gathering include:

1. Theatre-maker Lindiwe Matshikiza (ZA)

2. Fashion designer and visual artist Jamal Nxedlana (ZA)
3. Food Jams creator Jade de Waal (ZA)
4. DJ Spoko (ZA)
5. Creative Nestlings co-founder Dillion Phiri (ZA)
6. Researcher and programmer Job King Ori Maina (ZA)
7. Visual artist Jody Paulsen (ZA)
8. Keleketla! Library co-founder Malose Malahlela (ZA)
9. Fashion entrepreneur Eseoghene Odiete (Nigeria)
10. Artist and filmmaker Amirah Tajdin (Kenya)
11. Accra[dot]Alt co-founder Sionne Neely (Ghana)
12. Photographer Davina Jogi (Zimbabwe)
13. Animator Nqobizitha Mlilo (Zimbabwe)
14. Actress and partnership marketing manager Libby Curley (UK)
15. Co-founder of music label Somethinksounds Kazim, Kazim, Kazim (UK)

16. Artist Gareth Owen Lloyd (UK)

Events

The creatives will take part in industry and open public events including:

• a visual tour of Johannesburg led by Future Sounds of Mzansi filmmaker Lebogang Rasethaba for professional photographers and filmmakers;

• a series of free public talks including the Business of Fashion, Music Promotion and Business in the Digital Age; and

• Tetrafix, a closing party in collaboration with British Council Connect ZA, Unyazi Electronic Music Festival, A MAZE Festival and Black Cube Sessions. The event is a merger of local and international music, performance and visual art featuring Ravish Momin (USA), Yuri Suzuki (JPN), Skelemton (ZA), DJ Spoko (ZA), Kazim Kazim Kazim (UK), DJ Storno (GER) and Noka Kikulu (ZA).

British Council Connect ZA Head of Arts, Tom Porter says, "We are excited to see such a dynamic and diverse group of creatives in Johannesburg next month. Over the past 12 months, our Connect ZA initiative has created greater connections and networks between UK creatives and their contemporaries in South Africa and we expect Creative Futures will continue this."

For more information and to reserve a place at one of the free public events, go to www.creativefuturesza.com and connectza.tumblr.com. For more information about the creatives, go to bit.ly/1vR70xO.