Kwende Kefentse is the inaugural Executive Director of CKCU, Ottawa’s original independent non-profit charitable campus-community broadcaster. In his 15 + year career at the intersection of the arts, heritage, public policy, urban science, multi-media, music, and the economy, he has carved out a unique niche in the Canadian cultural landscape. Prior to completing a Masters of Research from UCL’s Bartlett School Architecture in Space Syntax Architecture and Cities (2017 – 2018) focused on the quantitative spatial modeling of cultural (music) industry ecosystems in neighborhoods, Kwende played a leading role in developing the City of Ottawa’s council-approved Renewed Action Plan for Arts, Heritage, and Culture (2013 – 2018). Following that, he led the development of the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition – a not-for-profit organization focused on local industry development, and the Ottawa Music Strategy (2018 – 2020) – a new council-approved strategy for investing in, and developing the music industry locally. His work has been featured in outlets like CityLab, Spacing Magazine and Monocle Radio to name a few.
Kwende serves on the boards of the Carleton University Art Gallery, FACTOR (Diversity and Inclusion observer), the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition, The Ottawa Film Office, and the Washington D.C.based Music Policy Forum (Emeritus), respectively. He is also the locally and internationally renowned producer and performer DJ Memetic, and the host + creative director of TIMEKODE, one of Canada’s most established independent club nights. Over nearly 15 years of monthly events in alternative spaces, TIMEKODE has become a beacon of progressive pluralism on dance floors in Ottawa. His solo + TIMEKODE original productions and remixes have received critical acclaim from international outlets like Vice Thump, Radio Nova, and Wax Poetics. He has been requested as an opening performer for luminaries like Nas, and Barack Obama.