It will be followed by a series of online panel discussions where women in the South African music industry can discover more about WIM membership and connect to the already growing community.
The launch marks a significant step forward in the homegrown music industry with the founding members choosing Women’s Day for its historical significance in the empowerment of women to advance their own political, social and economic position.
There is a real need for women in the industry to connect, uplift, support, support and create opportunities for women,” says founding member and chair Tumi Mogapi. “It is crucial to have a space for conversations about levelling the playing field for all, with the mission to educate and grow the South African music industry. We are creating a space for us to pause, reflect and ask questions to address representation and belonging.“There are minimal spaces solely for women in music within the midst of the highly male-dominated South African music industry,” adds founding member and vice-chair Manaileng Maphike. “WIM South Africa is that space – a space where South African women can create networks with like-minded women from across the globe to propel their careers beyond the borders of South Africa.”
To give effect to this, membership of WIM provides many benefits including access to educational and networking events around the world, educational seminars, panels and workshops with top-notch professionals, up close and personal evenings with acclaimed performers, producers and other industry professionals, roundtable discussions on current topics relevant to the industry, and special mixers and speed networking events.
Members also get access to online networking groups, directories, newsletters, forums and more, all to enhance networking with the SA chapter of WIM and the larger WIM worldwide community. This includes access to an exclusive WIM Google Group as well as useful resources and information from mentors and peers and answers to pertinent questions from the WIM community.
Prospective members will be able to learn more about WIM’s mission, values and work in the first of a six-part online panel series, presented in collaboration with Africa Rising Music Conference. Hosted by the South African chapter founders, the first in the series will take place on 31 August 2020.
For more information on WIM go to www.womeninmusic.org. Follow Women In Music on Facebook here.
