Nando's Bridges for Music Bursary students graduate

Image supplied: The Bridges Graduates

The MusicMBA is a five-month-long music and entrepreneurship programme that looks to enhance the potential of those who wish to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills while learning about sound, music entrepreneurship, digital literacy and mindfulness practice. This is to achieve the outcome of producing employable music experts with the mental and emotional capacity and maturity to become successful in a deeply competitive and mostly under-funded creative industry.

All of this year’s MusicMBA students sponsored by Nando’s have successfully graduated from the course. They have completed more than 200 hours of learning music production and the finer details of working within the music industry, more than 20 hours focused on creative entrepreneurship and 50 hours hearing from entrepreneurial experts and creatives from various industries through in-person and online lectures and masterclasses. The students, referred to as co-creators, also completed an intensive programme in leadership and personal development called 'Leading from Within' which was facilitated by Nicola Slingsby as well as an online Yale course entitled The Science of Well-Being. Slingsby has extensive experience in coaching - as the founder of ‘Leading from Within’, she works with leaders from across the world.

The MusicMBA takes on a holistic approach to learning and includes more than 100 hours engaged in mindfulness practises such as yoga, meditation, gratitude journaling, reflection activities and story-telling through body maps. Entrenching these practices into the curriculum allows the co-creators to realise the depth of their creativity so they can approach their artistry with confidence.

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“We are thrilled that all ten of the students we supported through the course are graduating and we wish them all the best with their next steps towards taking their creative skill forward with technical and entrepreneurial know-how,” said Justine Cullinan, Nando’s general manager for Marketing: Brand Strategy and Communications. “Our partnership with Bridges for Music is really an extension of our commitment to support emerging creatives who produce beautiful works we can all enjoy, showcase and export proudly. We have no doubt each of these bright young creators will go on to make amazing contributions to the creative landscape in South Africa,”.

Operations director and founding member of the Bridges Academy, Thulani Headman, said, “This year has been a great year for Bridges Academy. Coming from 2021 one of the most difficult years, we have managed to give another opportunity to 40 co-creators. Thanks to Nando’s for making sure that we are able to create the impact of change. Ten of our co-creators have been able to complete the wonderful program focused on empowering the youth at risk. We have been blessed by young talented souls who are eager to learn and be change-makers. It is sad to see them leave the campus, but they will not be leaving the BFM family entirely as they will still be part of our incubation program where they will be introduced to more opportunities and hopefully their first music-related job experience. We say go and shine in the world. We hope that all will be successful and be self-sufficient while practising the BFM values and being Bridges Ambassadors.”

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Creativity is the heart of Nando’s brand and business philosophy. For the last nine years, Nando’s has brought the creative community together through the Basha Uhuru Festival which is held at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg. This festival celebrates and showcases South Africa’s hottest new art, design and music talent. Bonga Kwana, a Bridges Academy alumna, recently performed on the main stage at the Basha Uhuru Festival in October. Bonga also attended the graduation ceremony and shared some words of encouragement with the Class of 2021.