Outreach programmes run by the Cape Town Jazz Festival

Outreach programmes run as part of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival yield positive results for the community, writes Setumo-Thebe Mohlomi.

About the same time as some Cape Town International Jazz Festival audience members start planning the threads they’ll wear to the yearly event, the festival’s organiser –espAfrika, begins a dizzying two-month training and development programme that peaks on the festival’s three main performance nights.

On these nights, some of the participants form part of the artist line-up and others cover the event as writers and photographers. Whether the more finely dressed punters realise it or not, their support of the festival plays a role in changing the social fabric of some of Cape Town’s most under-resourced communities for the better.

EspAfrika’s training and development programme began 13 years ago with an arts journalism workshop, master classes with the musician Hotep Galeta, and a production training course. In the time since the programme’s inception in 2002, the number of workshops has swelled from three to 13.

Seven workshops form part of the arts and culture focus schools with others focusing on photo­journalism, facilitated by photographer Peter McKenzie, arts journalism mentored by Fiona Lloyd, and the inclusion of workshops on fashion, eventing and different aspects of the entertainment industry.

Although it’s a pity that espAfrika’s training and development programme runs for just two months every year, some of its core advantages are in exposing the minds and ears of young people to the global music world and the various career paths available in the discipline.

MUSIC OUTREACH PROGRAMMES

Masidlale Music Project
Cape Philharmonic Orchestra: Artscape, DF Malan Street, Foreshore, Cape Town
laurika@cpo.org.za
021 410 9809
Twitter: @CapePhil

MusicWorks
44 Roseville Road, Claremont, Cape Town
info@musicworks.org.za
021 671 5196
Twitter: @musicworks12

Langa High School
Washington Street, Langa, 7455
021 694 1874

Cape Music Institute (CMI)
East Wing, Level 2, Hickory Street, Athlone Stadium, Athlone 7764
info@capemusicinsitute.co.za
021 637 0327

Delft Big Band
iansmithmusicproductions@gmail.com / ian@vjr.co.za
082 4583176
Twitter: @DelftBigBand

Steelband Project
david@steelband.co.za
021 448 8846 / 082 898 9663

See full report by Setumo-Thebe Mohlomi in the Mail & Guardian

PHOTO CREDIT: David Harrison/M&G