Vuyo Jack - The Quintessential Artist
Vuyo Jack became a chartered accountant because he wanted to learn how to raise money so he can be a movie and music producer. His love of music and the arts has never faded even as he founded Empowerdex.
Even while doing his articles at PwC, he took portrait pictures for the firm playing the piano, which still hangs in the foyer of the Insurance section within PwC. In 2007 Vuyo put together his debut show with his friends called “Through the Years” which showcased the music that influenced him over the years.
In 2009 he started a non-profit organization called Africa Empowered, which created Music Empowers Project (MEP) aimed at empowering artists with business skills and also providing musical platforms to be economically sustainable. As part of MEP Vuyo wrote a musical with Ingrid Wylde called, “Ilizwi”, with a cast of school kids from Mpumalanga. Ilizwi was performed at the Casterbridge Music Theatre at White River in in 2012 and toured to Cape Town for the 2013 World Economic Forum Africa Meeting. In July 2015 Ilizwi was performed by a professional cast at the Grahamstown Arts Festival.
In 2011 Vuyo produced the concert for the 80th birthday party for Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the Waterford Estate in Stellenbosch. This was attended by Bono, Pierre Omidyar, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi amongst other distinguished guests. The production was well covered by CNN.