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Dlala Thukzin to make Ghana debut at Accra House Fest

Dlala Thukzin to make Ghana debut at Accra House Fest

Zimbabwean Afro-house artists unite for ‘Inner Visions’ compilation

Zimbabwean Afro-house artists unite for ‘Inner Visions’ compilation

CAPASSO backs global principles for fair generative AI music licensing

CAPASSO backs global principles for fair generative AI music licensing

SA: MUSA shares new album ‘UHAMBO’

SA: MUSA shares new album ‘UHAMBO’

SA: CAPASSO names 10 recipients of second CSI funding round

SA: CAPASSO names 10 recipients of second CSI funding round

Goethe-Institut Kenya brings Ghanaian and Kenyan artists together for MobiArts concert

Goethe-Institut Kenya brings Ghanaian and Kenyan artists together for MobiArts concert

SA: 2026 Music Exchange to focus on rights, AI and the entertainment economy

SA: 2026 Music Exchange to focus on rights, AI and the entertainment economy

Ghana: Mr Eazi teams up with MOLIY on new single ‘Comfort’

Ghana: Mr Eazi teams up with MOLIY on new single ‘Comfort’

NAAK and Vumaala to take SA electronic sounds to Amsterdam

NAAK and Vumaala to take SA electronic sounds to Amsterdam

South African music veteran Babsy Mlangeni dies aged 83

South African music veteran Babsy Mlangeni dies aged 83

SA: Moonchild Sanelly to release Afro-house project ‘The Blueprint’

SA: Moonchild Sanelly to release Afro-house project ‘The Blueprint’

SA: Sasa MSK teams up with S’Villa, Epic Minds on new single ‘Sabela’

SA: Sasa MSK teams up with S’Villa, Epic Minds on new single ‘Sabela’

NEFCISA
NEFCISA

The Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) is proud of its partnership with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) as a Strategic Implementing Partner (SIP) for its Social Employment Fund (SEF). Through this collaboration, MIAF is running a national programme that is creating jobs, addressing skills gaps, and strengthening South Africa's creative industries — in line with the SEF's overarching goal to generate work for the common good and build community value through employment, social contribution, and inclusive economic participation. Operating under the banner NEFCISA (National Employment Facility for Creative Industries in South Africa), the initiative is recruiting and training participants, matching them with host organisations, and has already placed 1 500 workers across the country — surpassing its original target of 1 000. NEFCISA is delivered through a network of 20 host organisations spanning five provinces, who are actively hosting participants and contributing to work for the common good across South Africa's creative and cultural industries. Key Objectives: Support employment and entrepreneurship in the creative industries. Offer skills development and training programmes. Foster partnerships between public and private creative sectors. Promote South African creativity at both provincial and national levels Foster community development through social contribution.

ACCES
ACCES

ACCES Conference and Showcase Festival is Africa's leading music industry gathering, bringing together the people shaping the future of the continent's music business. Artists, entrepreneurs, executives, investors, policymakers and cultural leaders from across Africa and around the world come to ACCES to build partnerships, exchange ideas, discover talent and create new business opportunities. Since its launch in 2017, ACCES has become the continent's premier platform for professional exchange and music market development. Combining a high-level conference with a curated showcase festival, networking, exhibitions and industry programmes, ACCES offers a unique space where creativity meets business and where African music connects with the global industry.

Gender@Work
Gender@Work

Music In Africa Gender @ Work is a three-year training programme aimed at upskilling and increasing the participation of female professionals in the African music sector. Launched by the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) in April 2019, the programme is connected to the MIAF’s ACCES music conference – a pan-African event held in a different African country every year. This connection enables the programme to reach new participants in a different African country every year. The programme marks the beginning of a more concerted effort by the Foundation to support the participation and inclusion of women in all facets of its programmes and the music sector in Africa as a whole. Over the three years, the programme will aim to address gender imbalances in the sector through training, lobbying, facilitating knowledge exchange and dialogues that foster the interest of women. The broader objectives of the programme are to: Provide industry training for women on critical music industry skills, focusing on: Stage management Electronic music production and recording Music business management Technical knowledge Provide an opportunity for both professional and aspiring women to benefit from the Music In Africa network and its broad range of activities in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Provide a solution-based platform in the form of a round table at ACCES with a view to identify challenges, discuss opportunities and lobby for the interests of female practitioners. Offer participants the opportunity to benefit from programmes offered by MIAF’s partners. Increase access to educational materials. Integrate participants in the broader ACCES programme to maximise experience and exposure to the industry. Record and present training materials on the www.musicinafrica.net, including but not limited to tutorials, templates and other best-practice materials. Communicate women-based themes that support the initiatives and messages of the programme. MAIN TRAINING ACTIVITIES Training in first country (Ghana): In the first year, participants will be trained on all aspects of stage management by a team of experienced stage managers from 10 to 17 November 2019. The programme will offer robust classroom training as well as practical, hands-on training in which participants will also be given the opportunity to manage various aspects of the ACCES performance programme. Training in second country: The second training iteration will take place at ACCES 2020 when the programme will diversify its course to include music production lessons and training on other music business topics. A round-table platform will also be introduced to coincide with the ACCES programme. Training in third country: The third training iteration will take place at ACCES 2021 in a different country, offering an advanced course. HOW DO YOU GET INVOLVED?  As a participant, facilitator or trainer: The programme enrolls up to 12 trainees every year. All opportunities are advertised publicly on this website, and will be added to this page. Please keep checking this page for new calls (below under UPDATES & CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES). As a partner Please contact Claire Metais at [email protected]. APPLY The call for applications for 2020 will be announced soon. The Music In Africa Gender @ Work programme is made possible with the support of the Prince Claus Fund, Siemens Stiftung and Goethe-Institut.

Sound Connects Fund
Sound Connects Fund

For cultural and creative practitioners and organisations operating in southern Africa, access to funding remains a major challenge. The COVID-19 pandemic has also had a massive impact on government policy, spending and the economy in general, and has seen spending on culture being moved further down the list of priorities. Further, the cultural and creative industries repeatedly cite four main areas where investment is needed for growth, which are increased visibility, mobility including access to new markets, finance and support structures.

Instrument Building And Repair Project
Instrument Building And Repair Project

Experience the Vibrations African Instruments Exhibition online in 3D

Music In Africa
Home / Magazine / Themes
Themes

April 2017 theme: Live music in Africa

Music In Africa Foundation By Music In Africa Foundation

11 Apr 2017 - 11:10

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Live performances are where the real magic happens. Much like theatre when compared to film and television, live music is the purist’s domain, where artistic determination, musical chops and imaginative recital come together to give listeners a complete package of sensory pleasure. For most musicians, too, the live performance is the biggest prize: it is often the culmination of years of writing, months in the studio and even an entire career spanning decades. As they say, you’re only as good as your last show.

Morocco's Bob Maghrib during the 2017 Sauti za Busara festival in Zanzibar. Photo: MIA

For many artists, live music is also the only means of putting food on the table. With the rise of piracy and the demise of physical sales, recording artists can no longer rely solely on selling albums to make a living from music. In fact, recordings have almost exclusively become promotional tools that artists employ to get people to see them live.

When the Northern Hemisphere (Europe and the US) falls into winter slumber every year, Africa becomes the epicentre of live music on the planet. Festivals become playgrounds for locals and tourists alike, while the continent’s cultural capitals and their live venues feature events that are as unique as the cities that host them. It’s no wonder that many international festivals, particularly those in the US and Australia, have begun mimicking the aesthetics seen at music events around Africa.

Music In Africa now provides readers with an array of information about the African live music scene. Apart from our specially commissioned Overview Texts on the live music scenes of various countries, we also preview and review the best gigs and festivals on the continent. Our Directory of Events, Venues and Event Supplies, as well as our Magazine section, help to spread awareness of the opportunities in the live music sector in Africa.

Below are some helpful links related to live music on the continent – with plenty more to come as the month progresses. So make sure you check in every day to see what interesting information we have compiled for you.

Overview texts

How To articles

Opportunities

Africa live music news & features

Music In Africa directory

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