Renowned lighting designer and educator Mildred “Lighting Bae” Moyo returns to host the sixth edition of the Phenomenal Lighting Masterclass & Festival, set for August 4–10 at Ngoma Ingungu Cultural Arts Centre in Domboshava.
This year’s theme, “Finding Light in Darkness: The Power of Shadows,” guides a powerful week of immersive training and student-led public performance focused on hands-on learning, cross-border collaboration, and cultural exchange.
The masterclass brings together young creatives from Zimbabwe and neighbouring countries, supported by an international team of facilitators from the UK, Ghana, Switzerland, and South Africa.
Participants will engage in intensive workshops on lighting, music, movement, and performance production, followed by a two-day public festival showcasing their collaborative work.
“This is not just a workshop. It’s a shift in how we train, create, and share stories in Africa,” says Moyo. “We’re building bridges between generations, regions, and continents.”
The program provides real-world production experience, creative mentorship, and a space to amplify Southern African voices on the global stage.
Mildred Moyo, founder of Phenomenal Lighting & Power Solutions and a lecturer at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, will lead the lighting design segment.
“This is about returning home to grow new roots,” she explains. “We’re not just teaching lighting—we’re creating a new generation of African storytellers who use light, sound, and movement to reflect their worlds.”
The music and movement segments will be facilitated by renowned performer and educator Othnell Mangoma Moyo, while sound engineering will be led by Simbarashe Mazai, director of Prosoundman.
Participants will arrive on August 4 for orientation, followed by three days of masterclasses (August 5–7), a two-day public showcase (August 8–9), and a final day for teardown and reflection on August 10.
The programme is co-produced by Petok Productions, a UK-based company known for cross-cultural collaborations.
Led by Pembe Tokluhan, Petok will serve as production managers, ensuring international standards while nurturing local creativity.
“We’re thrilled to be building a bridge between creatives in the UK and Southern Africa,” says Tokluhan. “This collaboration reflects the global future of production—diverse, inclusive, and locally grounded.”
Since launching in 2019, the Phenomenal Lighting Masterclass & Festival has grown into a leading platform for technical arts education in the region.
Past editions have been supported by Culture Fund Zimbabwe (through EU CreativeACTIONs2) and the Zimbabwe-German Society.
Now in its sixth year, the festival continues to elevate African storytelling through technical excellence, mentorship, and innovation.
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