BASHA UHURU FREEDOM FESTIVAL 27 -29 JUNE CONSTITUTION HILL
Johannesburg’s most anticipated creative festival, Constitution Hill’s Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival, will offer a jam-packed line-up at the Sounds of Freedom Music Festival, creative immersions, and art filled experiences for its 2024 edition from the 27th to the 29th of June.
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.
The theme of the 2024 edition is ‘30 Years of Creative Freedom’ – the festival will highlight the role of young people and their participation in creative and social movements.
The Basha Uhuru Festival was founded in 2012 to immortalise the memory of the youth who fought for their right to choose in the Soweto 1976 Uprising, affording youth of today the freedom to explore their creativity and freedom of expression.
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.
The festival is an opportunity to learn and be inspired, share skills and nurture talent, network and collaborate, and create and monetize whilst driving important conversations affecting the creative sector.
Sounds of Freedom Music Festival: 29 June 2024
In true Basha style, the festival culminates on 29th of June with the Sounds of Freedom Music Festival. Curated to provide space for up-and-coming artists and new talent, the music festival this year is headlined by local mega stars. The music festival opens at 10h00, and festival goers can enjoy a full day at the Curated Market with live music and performances; activations; food stalls and bars.
This year’s festival brings local start and legends to the main stage! Festival goers can look forward to headliners Kabza De Small | MÖRDA | Sjava | Amagugu Ezwe | Nadia Nakai | FKA Mash | Kujenga |Holly Rey and local favourites, Solo Ntsizwa ka Mthimkhulu | ByLwansta | PONACOLADA X NKLY | Symatics | Castro x Doda x Boisanza; Gbedu Nights | Thabo Housecatz | Jussbanks | Nikita | Bomzi | Black Villain | Jab A Jaw | Coppashot x Bobotikal | YUASKINGME.
Party goers can also look forward to a guest performance from this year’s Basha Uhuru Music Legacy Award winner – Alaska.
No under 18s. Tickets (Phase 1 – R150; Phase 2 – R200; and R280 at the event) available at Webtickets: https://www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1548385140
Creative Conference: 27th & 28th June 2024.
An important component of the festival is the Creative Conference. The 27th and 28th of June will offer two days of thought-provoking conversations and workshops. Curated with industry experts, the conference is aimed at sharpening creative skills and brainstorming solutions for creatives to trade. Contributing partners to the programming include The National Youth Coalition; Iqhawe Magazine; Sophie Ndaba who will be hosting a panel on health and wellness and Butterfly Souls and Shamsaan who will highlight the importance of creative expression, and the role creativity can play in healing, activism, and change.
“We are proud to host the 2024 Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival – Conhill’s flagship Youth Month Event” says Constitution Hill acting CEO, Siyabonga Hlongwane. “Over the years, Basha Uhuru gave birth to The Creative Uprising – an always-on programme, including the Creative Hub that opened in 2020. Focused on development, collaboration and upskilling creatives, the work of the hub will help to grow and support the creative economy in Gauteng.”
The Visions of Freedom Film Festival: 28 June 2024
Curated by Mmabatho Montsho
“The Basha Uhuru Freedom festival commemorates the committed and fearless spirit of youth of ’76, who demanded education in a language they could understand and learn in. The Visions of Freedom Film Festival 2024 – Student Edition wants to honour this spirit by centring student films.” she says.
Montsho continues “Forty-eight years since the 1976 uprising, quality education remains inaccessible to many South African youth. And for those who do have access, many struggle with finding safe and dignified student accommodations and still many struggle to pay their fees. Despite these challenges students – in our case – film students, continue to complete their thesis and raise money to make their graduation films with passion and dedication. These are the victories the festival wishes to platform.”
“We are inviting South African film students to share their joys and pains; artistic dilemmas; creative breakthroughs; and musings under the theme “Visions of Freedom” using a language they have worked so hard to master – the cinematic language. In addition, the festival is inviting film and television industry leaders to watch the officially selected films and identify outstanding students and new graduates to internship and mentoring opportunities. We are all looking forward to celebrating your hard work and welcoming you into the industry.” Says Mmabatho Montsho.
Attendees for the Creative Conference and Film Festival which are free to attend will be required to rsvp in advance, allowing them to select sessions more relevant to their interests.
27 June 2024: Creative Conference
Attendees for the Creative Conference and Film Festival which are free to attend will be required to rsvp in advance, allowing them to select sessions more relevant to their interests.
27 June 2024: Creative Conference: https://forms.gle/MoH9VUextWtaguYG8
28 June 2024: Creative Conference: https://forms.gle/8E8ppggpK77QQMF16
28 June 2024: Film Festival panel and screening: 16h00 – 22h00
Makers Market x 6AM Lifestyle
Floyd Avenue Apparel | SUPPLIED
This year the curated makers market includes a pop-up shop conceptualised by two members of Conhill’s Creative Uprising Hub – Floyd Manotoana – Floyd Avenue and Andile Cele – Dope Store.
6AM Lifestyle is a curated experience that bridges the gap between tradition and modern trends. The store will proudly showcase an extensive range of products, from fashion and accessories and home decor each carefully selected to represent the kaleidoscope of creativity.
The makers market celebrates the intersection of culture and modern creativity. The curated experience offers a diverse range of handmade lifestyle products and a unique fusion of traditional and contemporary trends – with a focus on supporting local artisans and sustainable practices.
Visual Arts
“Basha Uhuru forms part of an ongoing ecosystem at Constitution Hill of creative spaces and communities – within this signature festival we celebrate artistic expression in all its forms. All the curated components of the festival will reflect and showcase the multi-faceted journeys of South African Creatives. Basha Uhuru aims to showcase and celebrate underrepresented creative communities.” says Londi Modiko, manager of the Creative Uprising Hub.
This year the festival welcomes back Ms Gaisang Sathekge whose commitment to development in the creative world founded the concept of Basha Uhuru as a member of the Conhill team in 2012. Gaisang is now the Chief Curator at the James Hall Museum of Transport and has been invited to curate one of two visual arts exhibitions that form part of the Basha Uhuru festival. The exhibition, The New Black: A Rainbow Deferred is a reimagining of blackness and reclaiming artistic agency within the dynamic and constantly changing notion of an African identity.
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