South Africa's first AI-Powered smart theatre launches in Ekurhuleni
The Smart Theatre is a revolutionary concept, the first of its kind in South Africa.
JOHANNESBURG - An AI-powered theatre, recently launched in Germiston, Johannesburg has been described as ‘a transformative moment for South African theatre and creative production’.
The Arts & Culture Trust, in partnership with the City of Ekurhuleni, unveiled a groundbreaking AI-powered theatre at the Dumisani Masilela Theatre in Germiston on Tuesday, 19 March.
The Smart Theatre is a revolutionary concept, the first of its kind in South Africa.
Jessica Denyschen, CEO of the Arts & Culture Trust said that the theatre was not just a performance venue but an active studio capable of producing high-quality commercial or film content.
“It becomes a lab for training technicians, directors, writers, vision mixers, editors and sound technicians, bringing the entire ecosystem together and activating it in a meaningful way.”
The programme has onboarded 40 artists from the City of Ekurhuleni, with some members of the EPP cohort also participating in Smart Theatre sessions.
Speaking on some of the successes that they have seen since the onset of the programme, Denyschen said that artists have already begun to leverage the technology to develop more efficient business models.
Tasks that once required multiple people to manage can now be streamlined using AI and various digital tools, empowering artists to handle both creative and business responsibilities.
“The artists are realising that they now have access to a space where they can produce world-class products and deliver them to international audiences,” Denyschen explained.
“We have seen people learn how to code with AI in less than three weeks. Some have even built a digital twin of this theatre in the same amount of time. The speed at which these technologies and skills are being adopted is incredibly rapid, and I’m confident that as the programme continues, we’ll see the quality of the products produced here soar.”
Looking ahead, Denyschen also shared plans for a commercial model that would allow individuals and organizations to rent the theatre space and access its cutting-edge technology.
“Eventually, just like renting a traditional theatre, you will be able to rent this space and tap into all the technological resources it offers,” she added.