Today the City campus explodes with creativity from now, with an array of local and international prominent speakers in the world of arts, design and digital media.

Talkfest, which is one of the popular features in the Digifest, boasts Namibia’s Kirstin Wiedow, Brazil’s Andreia Oliveira, Netherlands’ Arjon Dunnewind and South Africa’s Sheetal Cross, Tegan Bristow and Marí Peté.

Kicking of Talkfest at 10.30am is Cross whose presentation is titled, Advances in VR Technologies. She will be followed by Wiedow at 11am who will chat about the NUST-DUT Polar Project. Peté will give a talk titled, Glitches in E-Learning and Collier will end the morning session with a presentation named, “Hello Durban, tell me how you’re doing”!

The afternoon session begins with at 1pm with Oliveira talking about the LabInter Project. At 2pm Bristow, will speak about Exploring African Cultures of Technology: Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival. Talkfest will conclude at 3pm with Dunnewind who will converse about Frankenstein in the Garden of Eden.

Peté, who will be co-presenting with a DUT Fashion and Textiles lecturer, said they will be sharing a maker-trick for eLearning practitioners who wish to be more mobile-savvy.

“A festival in an academic context rings of both questioning and imagination. Critique without creativity could lead to pessimism. Creativity cultivates hope,” said Peté.

In the campus’ courtyard student entrepreneurs will showcase their products and innovations. Exhibitions open throughout the afternoon and feature projects from various departments including graphic design, jewellery, interior design, journalism and video technology, as well as individual exhibitions from a range of young local artists working in the digital arts.

Pictured: Marí Peté.

Andile Dube