Ryan Swano
Do you or someone you know want to build a career in exciting field of hosting Live Music Festivals? This Paid-For initiative by Live Music Lab offers youth between 16 and 25 the opportunity to receive training in one or more of the many career-path possibilities in Live Music Festival Production.
You need to hurry to get your application in and if someone you know is interested in this field, please make a point of getting them to apply.
Live Music Lab (LML) is a flagship initiative brought to you by Bassline and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), celebrating a 25-year partnership with the support of the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Presented by Bassline and IFAS, Live Music Lab is a fresh and innovative career development programme designed to incubate 15 participants in theoretical and practical training and work experience in events and live music at festivals like Bassline Fest, the Fête de la Musique, and now, WOMAD Festival. Live Music Lab is a one-month long hands-on music training programme commencing on the 16th of September and concluding on the 11th of October.
Founded by Peter Gabriel, the ‘World of Music, Arts and Dance’ (WOMAD), is a highly successful project, boasting audiences of millions and spanning 30 different countries. It has been regarded as one of the world’s longest and most distinguished festivals. For the 2024 WOMAD South Africa Festival, a series of events and showcases will be hosted across the nation, featuring performances from the likes of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, PJ Powers, Zolani Mahol, Arno Carstens, as well as many other international acts.
While festivals are known to promise a good time, it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to bring these events to life. The best concerts rely on professionals with varying skills, working collectively to deliver a fantastic occasion. It takes teams of lighting operators, sound engineers, artist coordinators, publicity personnel and production managers working proficiently in their roles and collaboratively with the performing talent. With the Lab comes the possibility for professional growth in the fast-growing African music industry.
What Live Music Lab Means For The Youth
We spoke to Selwyn Bartlett who is no stranger to regular readers of our Bruinou.com Entertainment articles and is the Community Liaison Officer for Live Music Lab’s projects in the Cape Town region.
“This is an exciting Paid-For opportunity for young people who are interested in entering the exciting field of Live Music Festival Productions where expert professionals present a curriculum that culminates in the participants working in key functions of a full live music production.”
With 42 years of experience in the music industry and 32 years in Radio Broadcasting Selwyn Bartlett, founder of both the Selcorp Media & Entertainment and SCM Academ, is also a qualified Adult Community Education Facilitator & Assessor.
Being one of the lecturers on certain modules of the course and serving on the adjudication panel to enlist Cape Town’s qualifying participants, Selwyn Bartlett is excited about the possibilities that the project opens up for the youth.
“This initiative has successfully been implemented in a few cities across Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in Johannesburg, all culminating in full live music festivals. Live Music Lab is now also coming to Cape Town, and young people from the Cape Flats who are serious about building a career in the field of live music productions should not miss this opportunity.”
Live Music Lab Call for Applications
This exclusive opportunity is open to proactive youths based in township communities and central Cape Town who are interested in gaining skills in event management, concert promotion, and marketing within the music industry and technical production too. If you answer “Yes” to the questions below, then this developmental opportunity may be for you:
- Are you an 18 to 25-year-old resident of Cape Town and its surroundings areas?
- Do you live within a 40-minute radius from Rosebank, Cape Town?
- Are you a solutions-driven team player with creative industry interests?
What to expect
Trainees will participate in sessions introducing them to the music business. This will broadly cover the history of South African music and an overview of the live music ecosystem; the different career opportunities in the sector; and how to network efficiently with music industry professionals.
These sessions will be followed by training in focused modules chosen based on the organic strengths and interests of the trainee. In-depth insights on a specific aspect of the ecosystem will be shared by experienced professionals, paired with the chance of shadowing team members in their different functions on festival day and in the build-up to the events.
Note: Transport stipends will be provided for travel to attend the Live Music Lab
How to Apply
Applications close on the 2nd of September 2024 or once 200 applications are received.
- Take a moment to think about which of these workstreams you could thrive in and why:
- History of South African Music
- Concert Promotion,
- Artist Management,
- Technical Production,
- Stage and Backstage Management,
- Artist Wellness.
- Organise your responses offline first to identify the specific function and type of company you would be interested to work in. This will help you with the writing of your 350-word motivation (see form below).
- Record your pitch (presentation) on a cellular device with decent video quality. Your video must not be longer than 2 minutes (120 seconds).
- Click here to apply and complete the form online. Make sure to attach the requested supporting elements (certified ID copy, certified Matric Certificate copy, recorded video).
Selected programme participants will be notified on 12 September, 2024. If you have not heard anything from the Live Music Lab team by 13 September, unfortunately your application was unsuccessful.
Note: Selections will be made in line with Bassline Lives gender equity targets of having a 70% female participation in the programme.
Contact Information:
If you have any queries, please contact Emily Holmes at: livemusiclab@bassline.co.za
Live Music Lab Joburg Edition
The 2024 Joburg LML program has successfully concluded, showcasing the dedication and talent of its 15 trainees who were mentored by esteemed music industry professionals, coming from Arena Music, Music in Africa, Lawk Communication, Sportainment Inc., Nana Coyote productions, Back to the City SAMRO and many other key players in South Africa’s music industry. Throughout the program, participants engaged in enriching lectures that not only enhanced their skills but also deepened their appreciation for the music industry.
The trainees expressed immense enjoyment and gratitude for the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, which has significantly contributed to their development. At the culmination of the program, 7 outstanding trainees were awarded internships, providing them with a valuable platform to further their careers in the music sector.
This initiative highlights the commitment of the Joburg LML program to fostering new talent and supporting the growth of the music industry in Johannesburg.
WATCH The Joburg Live Music Lab Recap
ABOUT IFAS
As part of the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) strives to strengthen the bond between France and South Africa by supporting innovative cultural, audio-visual, academic, educational and linguistic initiatives.
Throughout the year, the Institute supports artistic, cultural and festival events and programmes all over the country, offering a platform for cooperation in these areas. IFAS aims to encourage cultural diversity and creative exchanges between South Africa, France and the rest of the African continent.
Live Music Lab is a cooperation and development project supported by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, implemented by IFAS.
ABOUT BASSLINE
Bassline, founded by Brad & Paige Holmes, originally opened in 1994 as a small, live music venue in the bohemian suburb of Melville. It rose to prominence as the ultimate live music venue to experience South Africa’s finest Jazz and Afro-beat, branching out by featuring poetry readings, comedy and impromptu jam sessions. It was home for numerous musicians and Jazz fans and helped launch and enhance the careers of many luminaries. A book was written about this post-apartheid honeymoon called “Last Night at The Bassline” by Emeritus Professor David Coplan with photos by legendary photographer Oscar Gutierrez.
In 2003 the Jazz Club closed and was resurrected in 2004 in the downtown Newtown Arts and Cultural Precinct, hosting the cream of the crop artists and helping to develop the urban youth stars of Kwaito, Hip-Hop, Rock and Afro-pop. In addition to the venues, Bassline offered a plug & play rehearsal space for musicians, with 4 fully equipped rehearsal rooms ready at all times for musos to create and practice. This space ran successfully for 12 years, until 31st December 2016.
While running the concert hall producing between 12 to 16 concerts a month, Bassline also produced many outdoor festivals including the annual Bassline Fest Celebrating Africa Day.
As the music industry changes so Bassline has evolved. Closing the concert hall in 2017 till now, Bassline pivoted its business model into a mobile live music offering, producing and promoting live concerts and festivals, most notably the regular Bassline Live Series at the Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City – the annual Fête de la Musique that has just celebrated its 13th year, as well as the annual Bassline Fest, held on the Saturday closest to the African Union’s official Bassline Africa Day concert on May 25th.
Bassline is an institution amongst music fans young and old. In its 30-year history, it has hosted thousands of concerts featuring many of Africa and the globe’s most famous stars and music icons.
APPLY NOW
You need to hurry to get your application in and if someone you know is interested in this field, please make a point of getting them to apply.
