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Kundai Marunya Arts Correspondent
The annual spoken word and hip hop Shoko Festival will this year stay away from their traditional programming to introduce new concepts that are less costly and time consuming.
In what Magamba Network, the festival organisers called “focusing on their strengths” the festival will do away with hosting big artistes at their traditional Museum of Human Sciences venue.
Festival director Samm Monro aka Cde Fatso said they will focus their energy on activities that were a big hit last year.
“For this year we are planning some cool new ideas and innovative approaches to programming. Last year was obviously a tough year to be operating in so this year we really looking at playing to our strength,” said Monro.
“We think some of the big successes last year was ‘Peace In The Hood’ which was hugely inspirational with a massive turnout of over 5 000 young people dancing till late to the sounds Dhadza D.”
Monro said another hit was the Hub Unconference which holds a series of workshop and discussions at the festival.
“Hub Unconference was an amazing event also hosting over 350 young people talking about cutting edge digital and new media trends,” he said.
“The Zim Hip Hop Summit was a pioneering event that brought together so many leading lights in local hip hop.”
He said the festival will focus on their yesteryear successes.
“This year we are looking at having it (Shoko) as a three-day festival but refocusing in a way making Peace In The Hood Concert in Chitungwiza is going to be the biggest for this year,” said Monro.
“Over the past two years the concert has grown organically. It has become the most anticipated event. And for us it’s also where we have the most fun.”
Over the years, the festival’s Friday and Saturday night shows draw thousands, hosting big international acts among them South African Rappers Casper Nyovest, and AKA are the days to look forward to .
Monro said naming the “Peace In The Hood” concert their main event was a deliberate move to bring big arts shows and international acts to the high density communities.
Shoko Festival is an annual event that is held in September. Some of the programmes to look forward to this year are their comedy night and the hip hop summit.
Online Reporter