Braamfontein-based Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct has signed partnership agreements with the French National Audio-Visual Institute (INA) and the French Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM).
Last year, the University of Witwatersrand-owned innovation hub launched an incubation platform for African digital creatives, in partnership with Agence Francaise de D'evelopement (AFD) and the French Institute of SA.
The Digital Content Hub serves as an incubator of innovative and creative audio-visual content, made possible through a EUR950 000 (around R15 million) grant from AFD.
The two new partnerships will allow Tshimologong and the Digital Content Hub to foster meaningful connections between the French market and the South African creative digital ecosystem.
The collaboration seeks to host academic programmes, labs, workshops, exchange of expertise, collaborative workspaces, a development studio, exhibitions and special events from the creative industries.
Lesley Williams, CEO of Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct and director of the Digital Content Hub, explains that ties with prestigious organisations like INA and SACEM present an exciting opportunity for African digital innovation to reach a broader global market.
“We’re delighted to be able to propel entrepreneurship and grow the skills pipeline for the digital economy through collaboration while combining technology innovation and creative content.”
The INA is a public digital audio-visual company founded in 1975 that collects, conserves and distributes French audio and video heritage.
It also shares supporting talents, fostering the emergence of new forms of innovative digital content.
“INA has built successful partnerships with SA in regard to archive preservation and professional training. INA is thrilled to sign an agreement with Tshimologong Precinct, an ambitious incubator guided by objectives,” says Laurent Vallet, CEO of INA.
After a successful hackathon and content production around new archive collections in 2018 (Rivonia Trial Sound Jam), Tshimologong says it will expand its ongoing efforts with INA by focusing on immersive content training, sharing expertise on Web series, virtual reality, augmented reality, binaural sound and digital music.
SACEM aims to represent and defend its members’ interests in view of promoting musical creation in all its forms (from contemporary music to jazz, rap, hip-hop, French chanson, film music, music for video, etc).
Its agreement with Tshimologong is a result of SACEM Université’s support of Digital Lab Africa, an online pitch competition for innovative start-ups.
Among areas of cooperation, Tshimologong and SACEM will pursue training courses, seminars and workshop opportunities with a focus on authors’ rights issues, management of intellectual property, rights in the digital era, together with new business models.
Jean-Noël Tronc, CEO of SACEM, explains: “SACEM, with thousands of its composers and songwriters having cultural bonds with Africa, is committed to contributing to and promoting the creation and authors’ rights in Africa. Hence, SACEM works closely with its African sister societies.”
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