Basha Uhuru at Constitution Hill commences on the 21st of June with Creative Week, and ends with the Sounds of Freedom Music Festival on the 24th of June. Basha Uhuru Creative week features music industry workshops, a creative wellness programme, panel discussions, exhibitions and films.
The music festival on Saturday from 10:00 am to 02:00 am features DJ Zinhle; Kwesta; Samthing Soweto; Shekhinah; Thando Nje; Sol Phenduka; Marcus Harvey and Friends; GYRE; IzangoMA; Ms Party; KMAT DJ; Boujeena; SweeterBrown; Mam’Thug; RANGER; KITCHENMESS; Lyndow and a super special guest performance from this year’s Basha Uhuru Music Legacy Award – THEBE! Tickets are R150.00 on Webtickets.
The Basha Uhuru festival is not just a festival. It is the coming together of Con Hill’s Creative Uprising Hub to exhibit; profile and support those in the creative sector. It provides a point of focus and creative celebration for Gauteng’s creative community.
It is the coming together of Con Hill’s Creative Uprising Hub to exhibit; profile and support those in the creative sector. It provides a point of focus and creative celebration for Gauteng’s creative community.
THE CREATIVE UPRISING
It’s a youth movement synonymous with a creative, open-minded, and often non-conforming and unconventional community, placing the institution at the epicentre of urban culture inspired by music, art and urban culture.
The Creative Uprising, an ongoing programme designed to support creatives was launched in 2020.
Creatives, makers, artisans, craftspeople, illustrators; entertainers; artists and digital designers were issued a call to action to join the movement and become members of the program.
Membership provides access; to studio spaces; business support; education; market access; networking and various platforms for expression.
Elements of the program such as seminars; masterclasses; dialogues, and capacity building programmes take place throughout the year.
The festival targets creative enrichment and development, rather than commercial outcomes. The aim is to leverage funds for the maximum possible impact rather than profit.
Program: 21 – 23 June 2023
WORKSHOPS
21 JUNE 2023 – 9:00 – 15:00 – FREE – SPACE IS LIMITED
HOW TO “JOC” YOUR EVENT PRSENTED BY CITY OF JOBURG
PRESENTED BY PUNDIT AND THE CITY OF JOBURG
The Joint Operations Committee (JOC) was established by the City of Johannesburg to ensure that all events held in Joburg are safe and that the event organisers comply with all by-laws and City regulations. These events range from major ones such as music festivals to domestic ones such as weddings in townships. For an event to be safe, the organiser has to follow certain procedures through the City’s JOC.
REQUIREMENTS
• Must be an event organiser
• Must have basic knowledge of the JOC application process
• Must have successfully organised an event in the past year
• Submit a link with company profile
Register Here:
22 & 23 JUNE – 11:00 – 17:00
THE CREATIVE WELLNESS PROGRAMME PRESENTED BY THEE BUBBLEGUM CLUB
R25pp Per Day: Tickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1530451587
R50 for both days – tickets are redeemable for refreshment vouchers.
Mental and physical health comprises of many different elements that require our
Consistent acknowledgement. While creativity is often recommended as a means of therapy or escape in mental health practice, which outlets exist for creative individuals?
In order to function and navigate the world in a productive, holistic way, we need to consider multiple parts of our lived experience at once.
In response to this, BASHA UHURA presents the THE BUBBLEGUM CLUB CREATIVE WEEK, WELLNESS PROGRAMME, a 2 day programme focussed on empowering creatives in all aspects of living and practicing their art, resulting in a well-balanced life.
On day one the focus is on functional & practical things to aid and support you to capitalise on your creativity. The main goal for second day of the Creative Wellness programme is for participants to take part in a variety of activities in support of mental health and their personal navigation of the world. The main goal for second day of the Creative Wellness programme is for participants to take part in a variety of activities in support of mental health and their personal navigation of the world.
23 JUNE 2023 – 14:00 – 17:15
THE FUTURE OF MUSIC: LIVE OR DIGITAL …OR?
Concert SA Music Workshop 14h00-17h15 Lekgotla Room
A presentation of the Music in Africa research addressing various music industry issues (published in 2022). Looking at key findings with input from a music industry respondents. Talented Basha Uhuru headline artist Shekinah will be one of the panellists at this insightful workshop.
FILM
21 JUNE 2023 – 18:00 – 20:00
ABAFANA ABABI
DIRECTOR: ZIGGY HOFMEYR
ACTORS: MATLI MOHAPELOA,THOMAS GUMEDE
Best friends Thebe and Gift (Thomas Gumede and Matli Mohapeloa), from Orlando, Soweto, grew up poor with aspirations of being rich. Taking the easy road of crime, they make it big as two bandits modelled on Robin Hood, stealing only from the wealthy (who acquired their money from dirty deals in the first place), and then sharing their takings with the community. They have three rules: steal only if you can do it with a free conscience; never have blood on your hands; and steal big. After becoming instant millionaires from their latest heist, the two bandits go on an insane spending spree, drive epic sports cars, wear the best threads, and get chased by the hottest ladies – but soon they land in a world of trouble while living their dreams!
22 JUNE 2023 – 18:00 – 20:00
PIET’S SAKE 2
DIRECTOR: NORMAN MAAKE
ACTORS: FEATURING WARREN MASEMOLA,MOTLATSI MAFATSHE,KASERAN PILLAY,SIYABONGA AND TWALA,MBUSO KHOZA
Melusi (Motlatsi Mafatshe), the son of a well-off Zulu polygamist, squares off with his Indian varsity lecturer, (Kaseran Pillay), over who can be a youth or an adult better than the other. Soon life gives them an opportunity to swap lives and live out their differences through a comedy of errors amidst two cultural ceremonies that they are both central to. Melusi must deal with being a lecturer and a husband to two women as Amit (Kaseran Pillay) was forced into an arranged marriage after he married his first wife. Amit must deal with being the son of a Maskandi artist who wants Melusi to be more vested in the village life. Their body swap experience, in a heightened cultural and age shock, takes them on an hilarious journey to figure out themselves, their new families and environments, and most of all the two ceremonies – Umsebenzi for Melusi and Kavadi festival for Amit. The only way they can swap back is to learn the valuable lessons of appreciating not just their own lives, but the lives of others too.
23 JUNE 2023 18:00 – 20:00
THE UMBRELLA MEN
DIRECTOR: JOHN BARKER
ACTORS: KEENAN ARRISON,BRONTE SNELL,JAQUES DE SILVA,SHAMILLA MILLER
When charming musician Jerome Adams (Jaques de Silva) flies into Cape Town for his estranged father’s funeral, he finds his dad, Gershwin, has bequeathed him his beloved Goema nightclub as well as the care of The Umbrella Men minstrel troupe. Unfortunately, in a shady deal engineered by long-time family rival Tariek Cupido (Abduraghman Adams), the club must make a huge payment to the bank or be repossessed in two weeks. However, Jerome feels conflicted about his culture, the minstrels and his father’s Goema music – which he believes is blackface and “dancing-for-your-supper” type of music. Meanwhile, his aunt Valerie “V” (June van Merch), the family matriarch, will protect her family and their legacy with her life. She has poured her heart and soul into the minstrels and the Goema club, struggling to keep the club and culture alive while Gershwin failed to pay the bills. Having been evicted from District Six in the ‘70s, she refuses to move again and believes Jerome is the answer to their prayers.
EXHIBITIONS & PANEL DISCUSSIONS
The Arts Company Soweto presents 76/23 Print Exhibition in collaboration with Constitution Hill and the Creative Uprising Hub.
This unique exhibition features the artistic endeavours of 16 emerging and early-career visual artists who participated in a printmaking workshop earlier this year. Under the guidance of mentors, these talented artists have co-developed limited-edition prints using various printmaking techniques they learned during the workshop. The 76/23 Print Exhibition, held at the historic Women’s Jail in Constitution Hill, showcases artworks that reflect the artists’ diverse backgrounds and their responses to the present times.
21 JUNE 16:00 – 17:00
INNOVATIVE VISUAL ARTS BUSINESS MODELS
PANEL DISCUSSION PRESENTED BY THE CREATIVE UPRISING HUB
TAC’s is a printmaking company that aims to respond to the lack of access to learning printmaking skills and techniques in the black community. They offer training and production support to artists and art enthusiasts. In this panel discussion, TACS founders, Thabo Motseki & Molefe Thwala will unpack their innovative business model in greater detail with Constitution Hill’s, Lesole Tauatswala.
21 & 22 JUNE 17:00 – 18:00
EXHIBITION WALKABOUTS
The ARTS COMPANY SOWETO (TACS)
collaboration with the Creative Uprising Hub have developed a June 16 Youth Month orientated print programme which included mentoring & the co-development of limited edition print artworks with emerging artists from various backgrounds. The project has culminated in this exhibition in the Women’s Jail.
Join Thabo Motseki & Molefe Thwala and participating artists for a walkabout of the exhibition and explore the process of printmaking as a medium with the artists will discuss the inspiration behind their work.
ABOUT BASHA UHURU
The BASHA UHURU FREEDOM FESTIVAL, ConHill’s signature youth festival has become very well-known over the last 10 years growing from an audience of 2000 in 2012 to just over 7000 in 2019. Basha Uhuru is a unique youth brand that has become a household name among young people in Gauteng. While the name Basha Uhuru reinforces what, the brand stands for it further extends itself to borders beyond South Africa – as it uses Kiswahili and Setswana; thus, building social cohesion and shared identity.
Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival has become one of Gauteng’s biggest YOUTH ARTS events attracting thousands of youth from diverse cultural backgrounds to Constitution Hill to commemorate Youth Month together in a safe and critically engaging environment.
This flagship creative arts festival was established to provide a platform that would facilitate the broad spectrum of artistic expression for young emerging professionals and entrepreneurs in the creative industry.
