Talent project beckons creatives
In a bid to unearth, capacitate and promote local creatives in Malawi, Kuwala Creatives has launched a talent competition.
In particular, the Tiwale Talent Search will engage creatives to use their talents to tackle corruption and the killing of people with albinism in Malawi with an open mind.
According to Dennis Imaan of Kuwala Creatives, the project will engage creatives who are ready to produce content and work that aims at showing alternatives and high impact solutions to issues of corruption and killings of people with albinism.
“We would love to see the creative content/work that will enhance public debate through enabling alternative viewpoints to mainstream societal narratives,” he said.
The project is expected to excite over 150 creatives through online workshops and mentorships from established artists, arts and talent managers, experts and partner organisations who will be announced in due course.
“Thirty creatives will showcase their creative works during an arts festival to be held in March 2019 whose other purpose will be to select the overall 10 winners,” said Imaan.
According to Imaan, the acts will become part of Kuwala Creatives Talent Collective which will be supported with resources for producing, and distributing their works.
He said they will help the up-and-coming creatives with production of their works, online distribution, mentorship and facilitate collaborations with established creatives. Kuwala Creatives will represent the creatives on different projects within and outside Malawi.
Those applying will be expected to submit samples of their creative works for technical review and pre-selection.
“Our target is creatives who are not well established and those from disadvantaged backgrounds who may not have the resources to professionally produce their work or distribute it,” he said.
He said creatives should be ready to make use of online platforms to have their works distributed to their audiences. These could be YouTube, Spotify, Websites, Facebook pages among others.
The project has, among other people, attracted the attention of an actor and aspiring writer and film-maker Beatus Msamange who will submit a short film.
“It tackles the topic of albino killings. Other themes are youth empowerment and grassroots community security,” he said.
The short film stirs dialogue and debate as to why the real culprits are never caught when it comes to issues of albino killings.
“Other than that, I would like to get my talent noticed out there and what a better way than to do it while also highlighting the social ills and how to solve them in our community. I would like to produce art that speaks volumes, art for positive change. Plus I need the platform for exposure,” he said in a separate interview.
Interested artists and creatives can apply to be part of this project by completing an online form on www.kuwalacreatives.com.
Also known as Tiwale Talent Room, the competition is part of the regional initiative called, the Resource Of Open Minds, (R.O.O.M) currently being implemented in Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi under Hivos Southern Africa. n
