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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’

Feather Awards 2026 in SA: All the nominees

Feather Awards 2026 in SA: All the nominees

ACCES nominated for best music biz conference at MBAA

ACCES nominated for best music biz conference at MBAA

Milk + Cookies Festival to return to South Africa in January 2027

Milk + Cookies Festival to return to South Africa in January 2027

Snapchat adds AI tools that turn chats into songs for Lens+ subscribers

Snapchat adds AI tools that turn chats into songs for Lens+ subscribers

Kenya: Tommy WÁ and Labdi to perform in Nairobi as part of MobiArts Tour

Kenya: Tommy WÁ and Labdi to perform in Nairobi as part of MobiArts Tour

Roster launches Star Power tool to compare artists using public music data

Roster launches Star Power tool to compare artists using public music data

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 / News
News

US crooner Joe Thomas joins local stars at Mapungubwe Arts Festival

Music In Africa Foundation By Music In Africa Foundation

01 Dec 2015 - 08:59

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American singer Joe Thomas is one of soul music’s most celebrated male vocalists, a soul-drenched singer at his best when delivering ballads. He is set to perform at the annual Mapungubwe Jazz and Heritage Festival at the Polokwane Cricket Ground in Polokwane, South Africa on Saturday 12 December.

US star Joe Thomas will headline the Mapungubwe Jazz and Heritage Festival in Polokwane, South Africa.

The Jazz and Heritage Festival will close the annual Mapungubwe Arts Festival, which takes place from 4 to 12 December. Headline act Thomas is set to bring his soul-stirring authority and reveal powerful truths through song in his first concert appearance in Limpopo. The line-up also includes Hugh Masekela, Zimbabwean legend Thomas Mapfumo, Judith Sephuma, PJ Powers, Mahotella Queens, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Wanda Baloyi, Mmatema, Sipho ‘Hotstix’ Mabuse, Ray Phiri & Stimela, along with local favourites like Shangaan Disco king Penny Penny, Xitsonga singer Joe Shirimani and 16-time SAMA winner Dr. Thomas Chauke.

As was the case for the festival’s 2014 edition, the Jazz and Heritage Festival will be preceeded by a Gospel Festival on 5 December. Here gospel fans can expect to be entertained by the likes of Joyous Celebration, Worship House, Sfiso Ncwane, Winnie Mashaba, Pastor Lungi Ndala, Urban Matshila and Go Explo.

The Mapungubwe Arts Festival will kick off with a Cultural Carnival parade and stage performances on 4 December and see audiences being treated to a week-long programme of electrifying theatre, comedy, DJs and live music. The festival forms part of the local government’s mandate to develop excellence and high performance in the arts sector while creating work for local artists.

Nandi Ndalane Limpopo MEC for Sports, Arts and Culture, said: “Art is royalty and the Mapungubwe Arts and Culture Festival will, true to its name, be a treasure trove of talent development, sustainable living for artists and international cultural exchanges.”

“Mapungubwe Arts Festival is not only a platform that promotes social cohesion provincially but also an event that welcomes our brothers and sisters that work in other provinces,” added Limpopo Premier Chupu Stanley Mathabatha.

Africa’s leading festival organiser T-Musicman and Tsalena Media are at the helm of the event, which seeks to establish the province of Limpopo as a leading destination on the music circuit and affirm the vast breed of talent the area has and continues to produce while adding to the contribution of arts and culture for sustainable economic development and growing the local tourism industry. Hotels, restaurants and various outlets from Polokwane benefit greatly from the event, and local businesses can treat the week-long revelry as a unique opportunity to sell their services and products and to benefit from the influx of visitors the event attracts.

Tickets are available now from Computicket, at R100 for the Gospel Festival, R50 for the Comedy Knights and Pre-Party, and R150 for the Jazz and Heritage Festival.

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