Urban Festival to foster collaborative approach to city management

Established in 2002, the SA Cities Network (SACN) has been the custodian of SA’s urban history and at the heart of research practice through its flagship publications and conference events. 

The SACN will host the annual Urban Festival, the only city-centric conference hosted in SA, during Urban Month from October 26-28 at the Empire Venue in Parktown, Johannesburg.

The festival is known to attract local and international industry actors. 

Voices from government and society will come together to discuss a spectrum of issues affecting city decision-making and social and economic investments. The festival speakers will include experts and practitioners with extensive experience in the local and national government spheres, and private sector and civil society actors.

The Urban Festival will host masterclasses led by expert presenters on the local and international experience in managing and governing complex city contexts. Each panel discussion will have a range of stakeholders to foster collaborative approaches to urban challenges. 

Through Urban Month activities, partners have the opportunity to extend their reach beyond SA borders. The festival includes exhibits and an urban cinema to cover the SACN thematic areas with sessions focused on city governance, municipal finance, climate resilience, city economies and smart cities. 

Festival masterclasses and facilitators:

October 26

• Creating capability in cities — how the administration and executive should work to achieve results: Professor Trevor Fowler, Wits School of Governance, Wits University
• 22 years on: Why spatial transformation cannot be achieved only by government : Professor Phil Harrison, Wits University

October 27

• An all-of-society approach to a just transition: Professor Edgar Pieterse, African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town
• Nothing small about the small/medium and micro enterprises: Edwell Gumbo, Tshimologong Precinct

October 28

• City branding and its importance in the development of cities: Thebe Ikalafeng, Brand Leadership SA

SACN and partners invite all civil society organisations, designers, planners, storytellers, civil servants and city dwellers to join the conversation so that stories, research and voices are preserved and used to foster understanding and better solutions. 

Click here to register and join the festival. 

This article was paid for by SA Cities Network.