LIVESTREAM: The Creators - Creativity In Crisis, And How To Save It

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Livestream: 11 August 2020 - 6pm to 8pm

The Creators - Creativity In Crisis, And How To Save it

Heavy Chef's popular evening events are now being livestreamed. During COVID-19 levels of lockdown, entrepreneurs and business owners are requesting relevant presentations that will inspire and empower them for a new, uncertain future.

The creative sector was in a state of upheaval even before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. The rise of digital platforms reduced the ability of many artists to generate revenue, and only recently through a combination of social media and live events were creative professionals starting to rebuild their livelihood. Now, creatives everywhere - artists, singers, musicians, buskers, comedians, theatre professionals and millions of creators - have been devastated by the lack of live audiences. The ramifications of a decimated creative sector are dire. Resolving this crisis is one of the more important conversations we need to be having. 

In a Livestream interview exclusively for Heavy Chef, Imogen Heap will share her ongoing work in developing a ‘Creative Passport’, the digital Identity for music makers. Heap will talk about her creative research and development hub Mycelia and how technology is irrevocably changing the world of creative professionals everywhere. Imogen will be in conversation with Verity Price addressing topics intended for a diverse creative audience including musicians, artists, media, and the broader community. focusing on Imogen's own story and experience, her career and challenges, her relationship with the music industry, how she is dealing with COVID, as well as The Creative Passport origins.

To kick things off, Heavy Chef is doubly honoured to host the beloved South African singing legend Zolani Mahola, co-founder of Freshlyground, who is currently riding high with the release of the sensational new track #BecauseWeAre, a song which she co-wrote with ex-bandmate Aron Halevi, in collaboration with 30 of SA’s finest musicians. Zolani will be addressing the challenge she and her community are facing in an uncertain future - and chatting with Verity about her views on what needs to be done. 

Speakers:

• Imogen Heap - Artist, Founder Mycelia and Creative Passport
• Zolani Mahola - Artist, Singer, Songwriter, Public Speaker
• Verity Price - Artist, Facilitator, Coach, Consultant (MC)

Imogen Heap: Self-produced British composer and recording artist for over 20 years, Imogen Heap has released five solo albums, another as one half of Frou Frou and collaborated with countless and varied artists including Taylor Swift, Nitin Sawhney, Deadmau5, Jeff Beck and Jon Hopkins. Her compositions and songs pop up in blockbuster and indie films as well as countless TV shows, are featured in underground rap and dance music and covered by the likes of Ariana Grande. As composer and arranger for one of the biggest hits in theatrical history, Harry Potter and The Cursed Child, Imogen won the Drama Desk Outstanding Music in a Play award. As a sought-after speaker and performer, Heap hosted 2020’s Grammys Premiere Ceremony. Heap’s collaborative and multi-dimensional workflow attracts companies for commissioned works, leading to songs such as Tiny Human, the first song to distribute payments via a Smart Contract, and The Happy Song, a highly successful song for children in their early-years. Heap, recognised as an artists’ artist, has won two Grammys and an Ivor Novello award. In recognition of her pioneering work at the intersection of music and tech, Heap has a hat trick of three honorary doctorates for the gestural music-ware 'MI.MU gloves' system and recently for ’The Creative Passport’, an integrated digital ID solution, empowering music makers to be the change toward a fair and flourishing music ecosystem.

Zolani Mahola: South African singer, actress and Inspirational speaker, Mahola formed pan-African multi-cultural supergroup Freshlyground in 2002. 17 years and 7 albums later Freshlyground became a household name in South Africa and is one of Africa’s most acclaimed and successful bands. A highlight of their near two decade career was a collaboration with pop superstar Shakira with whom they recorded the official song for the FIFA World Cup - Waka Waka - in 2010. In collaboration with the biggest stars in South African music Zolani released #BecauseWeAre in July 2020, which is currently storming up streaming charts.

Verity Price (MC): A multi-disciplined creative, Verity is someone who never approaches life with the same thinking. She’s gone from walking 1200km across Europe in Hi Tecs, to performing in high heels to packed houses in Nashville and New York. From acting in local and international films, to speaking at the TEDxJohannesburg in 2009 and again at TEDxCapeTown in 2018. As a singer and songwriter, Verity was an unsuspecting international forerunner of crowdfunding when she acted on a crazy idea to sell an album online before she recorded it. Her journey of ‘acting out the box’ rather than merely ‘thinking out’ of it, had such success, that she now speaks nationally and internationally on innovation and thinking differently. Her story has been featured on Journey To The Core and Carte Blanche, and is also included in the HSBC ‘Top 100 Business Ideas’ in the UK and is the Wits University MBA case study on viral marketing. She works with organisations to inspire their staff, align strategic direction, solve old problems, uncover new ideas and gain the competitive edge in their industries. But, most importantly, Verity is passionate about helping change South Africa 1 idea and one happy team at a time,

NOTE: Proceeds go towards the Heavy Chef Foundation. Small business owners and entrepreneurs can apply for discounts of 60% during COVID-19 lockdown. Students can get free tickets. To apply, please email [email protected] - let us know your circumstance and we'll send you the promo code, no questions.

This event is supported by the following partners: