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Recognising Digital Innovation
Recognising Digital InnovationThe inaugural Fak’ugesi 2022 Awards for Digital Creativity are the first awards of their kind, recognising digital innovation in creativity across the countries of Africa. Since our inception 9 years ago we have seen, worked with and applauded the meteoric rise of African creativity in the digital space. In 2022, we want to further this growth by awarding the best works in five categories: arts (visual, performance), animation, music, video games, extended reality (AR, VR).
The Fak’ugesi Awards trophies are unique representations of the spark of innovation, our iconic lightning bolt motif comes to life at dusk with an internal led light array.
The Jury:
Selecting the best in the digital space from across the continent requires an outstanding jury of peers who have already developed their careers in their respective fields.
- Tegan Bristow (Chairperson)
Dr. Tegan Bristow is Researcher & Senior Lecturer at the Wits School of the Arts. Bristow additionally acts as Editor in Chief and Digital Editor of the Ellipses Journal for Creative Research. Bristow directed the Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival from 2016 to 2020 and now works closely between Fak’ugesi Festival and the Wits School of Arts developing research on the Digital Creative Industries in Africa.
- Hugo Obi (Video Games, Nigeria)
Hugo Obi is the founder of Maliyo Games; a design studio known for developing African-inspired games for mobile devices. He is a pioneer in his field, having created gaming classics like Mosquito Smasher, Okada Rider, Aboki Run, and Whot King.
- Isaac Mogajane (Animation, South Africa)
Producer. Diprente. Isaac is a co-founder of and director at Diprente, a South African production company based in Johannesburg. Since 2009, Diprente has produced numerous feature films including the box office hit, “Matwetwe (Wizard)” and the Netflix Original “Catching Feelings”.
- Jepchumba (Arts, Kenya)
Jepchumba has been listed by Forbes as one of the 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa 2012 and in the Guardian Africa’s Top 25 Women Achievers. A cultural ambassador, Jepchumba is the Founder and Creative Director of African Digital Art, a collective and creative space where digital artists, enthusiasts and professionals can seek inspiration, showcase their artistry and connect with emerging artists. Jepchumba is dedicated to promoting the growth of creative technology in Africa.
- Nonku Phiri (Music, South Africa)
Nonku Phiri is a Johannesburg-based vocalist and songwriter. Her music blends contemporary production styles with vintage Afropop influences, such as Kwaito, as well as drawing inspiration from oral folk tradition.
- Ingrid Kopp (XR, South Africa)
Ingrid Kopp is a co-founder of Electric South in South Africa, a non-profit organisation working with interdisciplinary artists across Africa to develop, produce and distribute immersive work. In this role, she produces and facilitates an annual residential lab, and is an executive producer on award winning VR projects, including The Other Dakar, Le Lac, Azibuye – The Ocupation, and Container. Along with MIT’s Open DocLab and Dot Connector Studio, she produces Immerse, a monthly publication on emerging nonfiction storytelling. She is co-chair of the World Economic Forum Global Council on Virtual and Augmented Reality. Until 2020 Ingrid curated the Tribeca Storyscapes programme for interactive and immersive work at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Judging Process
Each project will be reviewed by two selection panel members who will develop a shortlist of 10 projects per category for the jury to evaluate.
We will announce five finalists from each category on 3 October 2022. The winning projects will be announced at a special Fak’ugesi Awards ceremony on 21 October 2022 followed by the closing party of Fak’ugesi Festival.
Requirements:
- Applicants need to be 18 years or older
- The work must be their own
- Applicants must have a fully completed project (Material/Project must have been shown publicly)
- All submissions in which intellectual property rights are jointly owned must be submitted with the full written consent of all rights holders concerned.
- An application must be made in one category
- Open to all individuals/ companies who wish to apply.
- Projects that are created from 2019 to present.
Eligible formats for each category:
Animation
Short films (duration not more than 5 min)
Longer length features (30 min and above)
Title Animations
Gaming
Mobile
Desktop
XR
AR
VRImmersive
Digital Art
Digital Film
Photography and digital manipulation
Performance with digital components
Screen-based digital art
Digital Cross-Sector Music & Composition
Composers linked to animation, gaming, XR, and digital arts
Applications:
All materials/project(s) must be submitted online before 21 September 2022, 23:59 GMT. Late applications will not be considered.
Nominations:
Should you know of a project which you think fits the awards criteria, you may nominate a project through our nomination form.
Nominations must be submitted online before 17 September 2022, 23:59 GMT to allow us time to communicate with the nominated project.
