Kreesha Turner
The Soweto brand is globally recognised, revered for what it represents: history, rebellion, strength, and the perseverance of beautiful people. If one dives under the blanket of the brand, layers beyond the obvious, you’ll find the fuel of Soweto – pure artistic passion and creativity. It’s that fuel that will live in the inaugural Soweto International Jazz Festival, slated to take place from 14 to 17 June 2018.
A global music and arts
experience WORDS: NOLAN BAYNES
T
he Joburg City Theatre’s state-of-the-art Soweto
The four-day
Theatre will be the home for the festival. The event
affair is designed
will utilise the entire Soweto Theatre compound,
to be a pedestal for
with indoor and outdoor stages housing some of
the fantastic energy
the most celebrated names in music. South African artists
of an incredible
will perform with acts from across Africa, the Caribbean and
place with song
the US, a symbolic way to celebrate the global potency of the
and art created by
Soweto brand and promote pan-Africanism.
rebellious visionaries.
The objective of the Soweto International Jazz
Uncompromising
Marion Meadows
Festival is multi-tiered. Primarily, it serves as an anchor
talent will be the
event to help attract pan-African, North American
prominent filter of all
and Caribbean tourism. The festival will also launch
the artists. Every alluring component of Soweto’s culture will be
a mentoring programme for young people seeking to
on display. The commonality and connectivity that the African
gain experience and skills in the live entertainment
diaspora shares will be front and centre. From a vast offering
business. There will also be an entire day dedicated to
of global cuisines to a vibrant marketplace, fine arts gallery,
the recognition of women, with workshops, panels and
multimedia station to share the experience across the social
information exchange programmes.
media sphere, entertainment business workshops designed to
30 / Creative Feel / May 2018
