AfrikaBurn is part of a global cultural movement, shaped by the unique realities, creativity and complexity of Southern Africa. It is an experiment in community, participation and radical creativity, where everyone is invited to contribute, collaborate and imagine new ways of living together.
Events
Since the first event in 2007, AfrikaBurn has grown from a small gathering in the Tankwa Karoo into one of the world’s leading regional Burning Man events. Today it welcomes around 11,000 participants each year, with a vibrant mix of South Africans and an international community travelling from across the globe to co-create a temporary city built on art, participation, gifting and self-reliance.
Arts
While the annual event remains at the heart of what we do, AfrikaBurn has always been much more than a single week in the desert. Throughout the year we support artists, makers, volunteers and communities through projects that share skills, create opportunities and encourage creative collaboration beyond the event itself.
Community
Based in Salt River, Cape Town, AfrikaBurn has also brought elements of the desert into the city through projects like Streetopia, our free public arts festival that has transformed streets into spaces for creativity, performance and community since 2015. Recognised as an official City of Cape Town Special Event since 2016, it supports multidisciplinary artists and collectives from communities including Langa, Khayelitsha, Masiphumelele, Hanover Park and beyond.
HAMMERSCHOOL
Hammerschool is a series of dynamic, hands-on sessions led by women who’ve thrived in AfrikaBurn’s Department of Public Works (DPW) team as makers, builders and leaders. The goal? To elevate, empower, and bridge the gap between leaders and learners by sharing practical hard skills as well as the softer more nuanced life lessons that emerge from of DPW’s time together (often more than 6 weeks) building AfrikaBurn in the harsh Tankwa Karoo.
Had so much fun. To be quite honest I knew nothing about science … Can't wait for next week.
The Hammerschool programme explores a central universal theme. Each trainee participant in the course will come up with their interpretation, based on their own lived experiences, associations with the theme and form of expression.
Making art that I am proud of is most unexpected to me.
In this iteration of the programme, we aim to express the multi-faceted and dynamic nature of identities and associations that go beyond stereotypes.
I thank you for this fellowship platform, I don't call it workshop we are fellowshipping.
The target beneficiaries are divested, marginalised and disadvantaged women, including youth across the Cape Town metropolitan area and adjacent municipalities.
Hammerschool
What began as a pilot has since evolved into a growing programme of practical workshops that continue to introduce new participants to making, building and creative problem-solving. Previous Hammerschools have covered carpentry, electrical basics, metalwork, recycled materials, design thinking, public art and collaborative construction, led by experienced builders, artists and DPW crew members.
Community of Makers
More importantly, Hammerschool is about creating pathways into creative practice. It offers a welcoming space for people of all backgrounds and experience levels to develop practical skills, build confidence, learn from one another and become part of a wider community of makers.
Making Communities
With another Hammerschool taking place later this year, the programme continues to grow, helping more people discover that building isn’t only about structures. It’s about community, creativity, confidence and the willingness to imagine – and make – something together.