Monday, December 23

Abuja Fringe to empower, create new narrative for technology, communication- Founder

By Collins Yakubu-Hammer

The Third edition of Abuja Fringe is structured in a way to empower and create new narrative for technology, communication, creative space, developing new skills, connections and collaborative work spaces.

This is contain in a statement issued by the director and founder of Abuja Fringe, Mr Kenneth Uphopho on Monday in Abuja.

Abuja Fringe is creative festival that comes with training and empowerment, focused on technology for creative practice, audience development, marketing and communications.

According to Uphopho, the theme for the third edition, “Perfectly suited for the budding city of Abuja”, is focused on supervising how things work in Nigeria’s creative space.

It is supported US Embassy in collaboration with Brighton Fringe, UK; NANTAP, Women In The Arts Festival, British Council, A Taste of Theatre, USA, GIZ, The Nigerian German Resource Center, Doyenne Circle, Krump Studios and Mambaah Café.

“This time, it aimed at exploring new narratives in the Nigerian creative space alongside developing new skills, connections and collaborative work spaces.

“To do so, the festival will host exchanges and empowerment programmes with special focus on technology for creative practice, audience development, marketing and communications with established facilitators from the US, UK and Nigeria.

“These trainings, to be delivered virtually and physically, aim at re-strategising audience engagement and reframing conversations in a positive way to make for a more resilient and inclusive artistes’ communities.

“Thus, festival activities include a collaborative project Wales’ Good Cop Bad Cop titled Glimpses From The Edges under the British Council Culture Connect Initiative – exhibiting outcomes of the project at the festival and in Wales.

“Creative facilitators that will engage participants in working forums and workshop include CC Hub Nigeria’s Ojoma Ochai, poets like Dike Chukwumerije and Bash Amuneni.

“Others are Nadine Patel from UK, Erwin Maas and Victor Gulley from the US, and Brighton Fringe CEO Julian Caddy,” Uphopho said.

He also added that they would proffer facilitated debates and reflections on key emerging issues from the festival’s theme.

Uphopho said Festival guests would be entertained with a live show of the widely successful experimental play by Esther’s Revenge featuring Biola Atitebi and the psychedelic Bridezella show starring Bunmi Sogade.

He further said that guests will also have access to artistic and cultural workshops, film and media events, exhibitions and opportunities to forge global connections that will build emerging creatives and improve professional ones.

“Abuja Fringe 2022 opens Dec. 6 and runs through Dec. 11, across multiple venues such as Mambaah Café, The Sync Hub, Shehu Yar’adua Center, 6ixx Lounge, Moeshen Art Gallery, AFS Vocational Hub and Fraser Suites.

“Founded by Paw Studios Africa in 2020, Abuja Fringe is committed to improving the livelihoods of artistes as well as finding new voices in the Abuja creative space.

“Earlier in the year, the festival held free training workshops on social media, marketing and communication, and funding for 250 creatives in the city,” he said. (NAN)

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