Call for applications: Musicians workshop in Zanzibar

With this in mind, a three-day ‘boot camp’ that seeks to empower Tanzanian musicians will be held between 30 May and 3 June at the Red Monkey Lodge in Jambiani on the south-east coast of Zanzibar.

Fifteen selected participants will learn vital skills on how to navigate the dynamic world of music and technology.

Participants will benefit from expertise in the areas of copyrights, digitization, global music markets and information technology in general. The workshop will among other things train artists to effectively use social media to connect with fans and other potential investors in their career. Two sound engineers will be available every day to advise on production and setting up for live music. Additional elements of the boot camp will be jam sessions and studio recordings.

In the past, musicians connected with their fans while on tour or during record signings and other live events. Today musicians can connect directly with their fans through the internet (and increasingly using their mobile devices) at any time and from any place. If an artist does not understand how to effectively utilise the available tools, this opportunity for connection and communication does not yield any benefits. The upcoming workshop will therefore enable artists to view their online presence as a tool to create and promote their brand.

The boot camp is a collaborative effort between Music In Africa, Culture and Development East Africa (CDEA), Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) Tanzania, Goethe-Institut Tanzania and Red Monkey Lodge. Other partners include Busara Promotions, Dhow Countries Music Academy, Nafasi Space, Soundthread and Tanzania Heritage Project.

The camp is open to all musicians from both mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar, and there are no rules regarding age and genre. According to the CDEA’s Ayeta Wangusa, “The boot camp is targeting professional musicians who are actively working in the music industry, with priority given to independent artists working outside the mainstream music scene in Tanzania.” 

The 15 selected participants will get a scholarship which will cover their transport (ferry tickets to and from Zanzibar, as well as between the port and Jambiani), accommodation at Red Monkey Lodge for the duration of the camp; and food expenses.

Artists interested in participating at the boot camp should send a motivation letter to secretariat@cdea.or.tz by Friday 13 May.