Our Arts & Culture project portfolio can be broken down into different categories as seen below:
Music
Siphiso Jizele is a qualified sound engineer, whom has a passion for music production and is a hip-hop artist. He is currently working on his first album to be released soon. Siphiso believes music can be a tool to raise awareness and understanding to enable him to reach out to more people. Siphiso says “music is an expression for the youth, it’s a form of communication, it contains messages and one can learn from it – basically it’s a youth movement.” Siphiso has worked with artists like Freshly Ground, Johnny Clegg, Ryan ‘Brown’ Dalton, Jack Mantis, Ard Matthews (JustJinger) and Dj Mixwell (Germany). Sifiso was one of the artists who developed the MylifE Anthem together with Freda. Freda Darvel is another Youth in our project who made it to the coca-cola popstars top 30 in 2004. Freda was the star in a documentary compiled by a Swedish film group. Freda is currently beginning a music scholarship to further her singing career.
We are working towards acquiring international and influential artists to be ambassadors to our project. We are hoping to host a big concert to raise awareness about the problems we face. We will also look to remix the MylifE Anthem.
Recently we were able to provide 6 upcoming dj’s from the townships the opportunity to record a demo tape at the Redbull Studios. Together with the demo, a profile was conducted by MylifE volunteers and using these, 4 of our Dj’s were selected and booked to play at the Glabal Icons Music festival. This was a music festival that ran for the Fifa World Cup in Cape Town. Our Youth Director and MC, siphiso, was selected to work as one of three Artist Managers over this period. Together with Redbull, Siphiso did a Recording with the German hip-hop group blumentopf and later performed with them on stage at an event at the Waiting Room. The Music side of things seems to be kicking off slowly and we look to grow and develop this.
Dance
We are currently establishing a collection of dance groups from the townships. The dance styles vary from from cultural dance to kwaito and mapunsula. We are looking to bring in breakdancing and all forms of dance. Currently we have a strong relationship with a Dance instructor and a Local Dance school in Nyanga.
Arts & Crafts
MylifE currently supports several arts and craft initiatives and activities, including beading, jewellery manufacture, fine arts, and clothing design and manufacture. The majority of these items have been sold to and at craft markets and shops and functions hosted by MylifE. As with many of MylifE’s activities forming part of the healing process, working with one’s hands is an important aspect. Arts & Crafts is an ideal tool for re‐channeling energies into positive outcomes. Empowering youth to express themselves creatively, parallels the healing process of expressing oneself personally. Arts and crafts activities include a workshop with tools and work stations.
One of our youth in the project, Emanuel, does African bead work. He is originally from Tanzania. Emanuel did a beadwork of the Cape Town stadium which took him 3 months. He makes a variety of items including, bracelet, necklaces, cell phone covers etc. We have brought on board an Industrial Designer to work with Emanuelle to create a Range of Products.
Photography
We have a very creative up and coming photographer and an established photogrpaher whom have both committed to being our official MylifE photographers. They both take all our photographs and are using our dynamic as a base to create a gallery.
Film & Media
MylifE founder Linzi Thomas is one of Cape Town’s most respected film producers. The film industry has had a significant impact on changing the lives of several youth. For the past several years, MylifE youth who have gone through the program have been placed in training, temporary and permanent positions within the film industry. There are just two essential criteria; to work hard, and to learn quickly. As World Cup 2010 approaches there is a 4000 person shortfall of trained South African film/media workers. Mylife is working towards matching MylifE youth with 2010 media opportunities.
Mylife’s Director and Chairman, Chris Roland is the owner of ZenHQ Films based in Cape Town. Chris is considered locally and internationally as one of South Africa’s most notable filmmakers and industry entrepreneurs. As part of its push to develop and produce films with South African stories told by South Africa filmmakers, ZenHQ has devised an ingenious development, production, financing, marketing and distribution model, which will employ both industry professionals and MylifE youth currently working in the film industry, and others wanting to enter the industry. This on‐the‐job training opportunity includes a significant skills transfer component.
Skills development outcomes will be focused on developing: Qualified youth crews, Qualified youth filmmakers, qualified actors, qualified musicians and other film related activities. Film Enterprise will also support: accommodation, catering, guides and tours. Partners in this enterprise will include: ZenHQ Films, Cape Film Commission and National Film & Video Foundation.
One of our MylifE Youth, Damian Snyders, has recently starred in an ITV Film called Kidnap & Ransom which is due to launch at the end of this year (2010)
We have some very exciting developments currently in the works.. so watch this space!