Flagship projects

2023

Craft Market Intervention

Our Partners: Newcastle Library, Shayamoya Flats, Business and Arts South Africa (BASA), Presidential Stimulus Program, amongst others.

Afropolitan Explosiv implements a craft market intervention, which was focused on getting independent crafters, artists together and creating a platform for them to showcase their products. With a strong emphasis on digital technologies, the intervention is rolled out in Durban, Newcastle and other parts of KwaZulu-Natal. It revolves around a series of workshops, where crafters are given working materials (beads, leather, wire, wool, computer technology), weekly progress meetings and information sharing with the crafters during the creation process, the project is now complete.

AE Exhibition & Prize Giving:

Cato Manor Workshop:

NN Tech Workshop:

2023

African Creative Art Forms Digital Index

Our Partners: National Heritage Council, University of Cape Town, Mazisi Kunene Foundation, National Institute for Humanities and Social Science.

The African Creative Artforms Digital Index seeks to collect all African Artforms and digitally preserve in to ensure that it does not die out with the forever disintegration of the tribal society. This preservation is done through digitalisation of all collected African Creative Artforms not

only to be in line with the 4^th industrial revolution, but also to ensure the ease of accessibility.

The African Creative Artforms Index was launched at the Mazisi Kunene Museum in Durban, with partnership with Killie Campbell Africana Library, University of Cape Town and other key stakeholders within the creative arts and academic sectors. The Launch event had a panel discussion amongst Academics, Creative Artist, and Musician etc. The Panel discussion was led by Dr. Thokozani Mhlambi (PhD), internationally acclaimed cellist and cultural composer, as Convenor. The speakers were (1) Dr. Ncebakazi Mnukwana (PhD), who is lecturer of Music Education the University of Stellenbosch, the Music Department where she teaches Ethnomusicology. (2) Mr Sandile Ngidi, who is an arts activist, and a Zulu/English literary translator. He has a BA Social Science degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and an MA in Creative Writing from Rhodes University.

2019

Early African Intellectuals as Composers of Music project

The project was a historical undertaking seeking to ‘wake up’ the African to their ancient music composition and intellectual excellence; as well as raise awareness of and educate about the birth and journey that has been travelled by compositions of the past while finding a place for them to be recognized and enjoyed in contemporary Africa. The project unfolded through a rich combination of intellectualism and creativity, kicking-off with Panel Discussions, which took place at the Urban Futures Centre for the KwaZulu-Natal component and at the Kitchen, in Woodstock for the Western Cape component. Panel Discussions were then followed by Exhibition Concerts, which took place at the Killie Campbell African Library in KwaZulu-Natal and at the College of Music, at UCT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzX_94mCFEk

The cast for the performance included students from UKZN’s opera school and UCT music department, plus special guest features of leading musicians South African musicians.

Funders: National Arts Council, National Institute for Humanities & Social Sciences, KZN Performing Arts Trust

Partners: Luthuli Museum, Killie Campbell Africana Library (UKZN), Urban Futures Centre (DUT), The Kitchen Eatery, Archive & Public Culture (UCT).

2019

Goethe-Institut (German Funding Agency)

November 2018 – April 2019, Project to co-ordinate 6X Artistic Events in Amajuba District.

2018

Showcasing Creative Entrepreneurs in KwaZulu-Natal

Partners: Durban University of Technology & Ethekwini Municipality

2017

World Premier of Isililo Esamboza Umhlaba

A tone poem for female voice, saxophone, violin, viola and double bass, performed by members of the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra, in Durban, September 2017. ‘Isililo’ is a national lament, usually following bereavement. In this extract, it is King Shaka who has lost his mother, Nandi. While in great gloom, Shaka sleeps and Nandi visits him in his dream. World Premier of “Isililo Esamboza Umhlaba” a Tone Poem set for 5 musicians, September 2017. Based on extract from epic poem, uNodumehlezi kaMenzi (Emperor Shaka the Great) by Masizi Kunene, UNESCO Africa Poet Laureate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPW3dbQguC8

Marco Marazzi (Italy): viola Simon Milliken (United Kingdom): double bass Roberto Palma (Italy): violin Maxine Matthews (S Africa): saxophone Nobuntu Mqulwana (S Africa): female voice.

Partners: Mazisi Kunene Foundation, Remy Martin Cognac

2017

Kasi Movie Showcase

This was a national project, about taking film screenings to communities in different parts of Mpumalanga, KZN and Free State.

Funder: Dept of Arts & Culture

Local Government Partners: Dr Pixley ka Seme Municipality, Thabo Mofutsanyane Municipality, Amajuba District Municipality.

2016

KZN International Festival for Black-centred Film

This was film festival spearhead and implemented by Afropolitan Explosiv, which took place in Amajuba district. We managed to get the Newcastle Local Municipality’s Tourism Office to get involved in the project. This gave us access to the youth film-makers and community leaders. We were then also able to solicit the funding of the KZN Film Commission, a provincial agency for promoting film in the region.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdsvZrBIKns&t=6s

The cast for the performance included students from UKZN’s opera school and UCT music department, plus special guest features of leading musicians South African musicians.

Funder: KZN Film Commission
Local Government Partners: Local Government Partners: Newcastle Municipality, Emadlangeni Municipality.