TCN Monthly Recap: February 2024 Edition
Here's a recap of the stories—news, events, opportunities, resources, insights, opinions and conversations—we published this February and some other recommended stories for you
Hi there, I hope you’ve had a good month!
Whoops, it’s already the end of February - the month of love. I hope you were able to spread some love. And I hope you got some love right back as well!
It’s that time of the month when we bring you TCN Monthly Recap; a recap of all the exciting stories—news, events, opportunities, resources, insights, opinions and conversations—we published during the month of February. Also, watch out for more interesting reads and recommended stories to catch up on everything juicy in the African creative industry across art, design, and film.
In this edition, you will find: A new identity for What Kept Me Up, a Nigerian film publication; The return of Joburg Film Festival for its sixth edition; Goethe-Institut’s call for submissions for Science Film Festival 2024; 2024 Kuta Arts Residency Program Finalists; A refreshed Identity for Pade, a Nigerian HRTech company; How Album Cover Bank is archiving, documenting, and preserving Nigerian album cover designs from 1950 to date; Untitled Design Conference returns this May; British Council's SSA Arts open call for submission for the Festival Connect Fund 2024/25.
A new identity for What Kept Me Up, a Nigerian film publication
Earlier in the month, What Kept Me Up, a Nigerian digital media publication, unveiled a refreshed identity—a new logomark, wordmark, and brand typeface.
The publication says the new identity—designed by Iyebiye ‘Kaizen Kreativ’ Adeitan—is its response to previous comments on its ‘branding’, and its way of saying it chooses its readers.
“We are choosing you. Yes, U, artistically and literally. Our approach revolves around you and what you like as a cinephile. Your constructive criticism and praises have shaped us in several ways as a publication that strictly covers film and TV in Nigeria,” it stated in its announcement.
The return of Joburg Film Festival for its sixth edition
Do you care about Film Festivals? The Joburg Film Festival (JFF), Africa's Premiere Film Festival curating and showcasing African and international films, announced it will be back this February for its 6th edition - with the theme; Inspiring storytellers: Celebrating the legends.
Currently happening at various locations across Joburg, the festival will be showcasing over 60 titles - with a diverse range of compelling films from both local and international filmmakers - from over 30 countries.
The festival, which started two days ago (on Tuesday, 27th February 2024), will come to a close on Sunday (3rd March 2024).
Goethe-Institut call for submissions for Science Film Festival 2024
Goethe-Institut announced the open call for the Science Film Festival, a celebration of science communication in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
In collaboration with local partners, it host the festival to promote science literacy and facilitates awareness of contemporary scientific, technological, and environmental issues through international films with accompanying educational activities.
There’s also a cash prize of 500 Euro each across six categories and an extra cash prize of 1,000 Euro for the Prize of the Jury.
Deadline for submissions: March 17, 2024.
2024 Kuta Arts Residency Program Finalists
Following a ‘meticulous review’ of the applications it received, Kuta revealed the 10 artists selected by its panel for its 2024 Kuta Arts Residency.
“Over the next three months, these artists will be housed, undergo workshop and offered all the tools necessary to help them create. The residency commences on the 13th of February, 2024,” it wrote in its announcement.
A refreshed Identity for Pade, a Nigerian HRTech company
Pade, a Nigerian HRTech company, unveiled a new identity—a refreshed logo, typeface, and colour system—a reinforcement of its “commitment to creating a fulfilling experience for African workers and employers.”
Designed by Void Studios—led by Joshua Biyere and Chief Osaretin Avbuluimen—the new identity is built on the company’s value: GETs Fulfilled. [G–Growth, E–Empowerment, T–Trust, S–Simplicity].
How Album Cover Bank is archiving, documenting, and preserving Nigerian album cover designs from 1950 to date
With 5300+ Nigerian album covers—that date back to the 1950s —in its archive, Album Cover Bank wants to establish the history and evolution of Nigerian graphic design in Nigerian music.
Album Cover Bank set out to serve as an archive of Nigerian music album covers—including albums from as far back as the 1950s. It wants to serve as an alternative lens to look at Nigerian music beyond the musician making the music.
In our conversation with Opemipo Aikomo, the producer of Album Cover Bank, he said, “The goal is for Album Cover Bank to become a valuable tool for artists, enthusiasts, educators, and researchers of all kinds.”
Untitled Design Conference returns this May
Untitled Designers, the organisers of Untitled Design Conference (UDC), one of Africa’s biggest design conference connecting purpose-driven designers together, confirmed that the conference will return for its third edition this May (2024).
The Untitled Design conference - which it says “pushes the definition of design itself” - will bring together designers, educators, and business leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing designers in the design industry.
British Council's SSA Arts open call for submission for the Festival Connect Fund 2024/25
Some days ago, the British Council’s Sub-Saharan Africa Arts programme announced the launch of its 2024/25 Festival Connect Fund, a fund that enables new and innovative ways for connections, mobility, and exchanges and showcases contemporary arts between festivals across Africa and internationally.
“A total of £200,000 is available for festivals in the eligible countries to support collaborations, exchanges, mobility, and showcasing on scales ranging from £ 10,000 – £ 40,000 maximum per application,” the announcement stated.
The call is open to festivals engaging with all art forms in the following countries: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.
Opportunities you might have missed:
STARTS4AFRICA announced and extended the Call for Artists for the first S+T+ARTS Residency Programme for Sub-Sahara Africa [Application closed on February 25, 2024].
Blessing Ngobeni Art Foundation open call for the 2024 Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize (BNAP) [Application closed today 29 February 2024].
Recommended reading
You may have a reason - or lots of reasons - why you are not sharing and putting your work out there but the question is: if you don’t put yourself out there, how will people know what you do?
What is it like being a young African person in the diaspora? Check out this report by Africa No Filter (ANF), an organisation working to shift stereotypical and harmful narratives within and about Africa.
A UNESCO report revealed that the African creative sector is underfunded and underdeveloped. Despite the issue of investment and funding, we still have people building for African creatives and creators. This article puts together 10 digital products and platforms made by Africans for Africans you should know and use.
Founded by British Ghanaian Sylvia Arthur, The Library of Africa and The African Diaspora describes itself as a “knowledge-producing institution for the study, preservation, and dissemination of African and Diaspora literature.”
That will be all for this month. Thank you for reading.
We wish you a HAPPY NEW MONTH in advance. May MARCH be full of goodness.
See you next month. Until then, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn to stay up to date.