Top acts confirmed for ACCES 2018 music conference

Eleven acts have been drawn from across the genre spectrum to showcase the different sounds that define contemporary and traditional music in sub-Saharan Africa. The acts include Eric Wainaina (Kenya), Makadem (Kenya), Seun Olota (Nigeria), Sahad and The Nataal Patchwork (Senegal), Maia and the Big Sky (Kenya), Siti & The Band (Tanzania), Kidum and the Bodaboda Band (Burundi/Kenya), Djénéba & Fousco (Mali), Suzan Kerunen (Uganda), Winyo (Kenya) and Johnstone Mukabi and Omutibo Stars Band (Kenya).

Organised by the MIAF in a different country every year, ACCES is a pan-African event for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES 2018 will offer a dynamic programme including keynote talks, panel discussions, presentations, networking sessions, exhibitions, showcases, training workshops, and visits to key music industry hubs in Nairobi.

"We've taken our showcase programme to the next level," MIAF director and ACCES curation committee member Eddie Hatitye said. "Most of the musicians represent Kenya, where the conference is taking place, and the rest come from other musically rich countries to create an air of true pan-Africanism that we strive to portray at every ACCES conference wherever we hold it."

The announcement comes after the MIAF published a call for musicians to apply for an opportunity to perform at ACCES 2018. The MIAF then established a curation committee comprising music industry players from Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Senegal and South Africa to select the talent that will showcase in front of festival curators, promoters, booking agents and record label executives.

The first ACCES conference was held in Dakar, Senegal, in November last year where about 500 participants from more than 40 countries in Africa and Europe as well as the US and Australia came together to learn about the West African music industry. Even more delegates are expected to attend ACCES 2018 where the showcasing artists could find new opportunities to further their careers.

"ACCES is all about finding opportunities for our delegates and showcasing artists," Hatitye said. “What is certain is that there will be great music on offer, which is a central element of any great music conference."

The National Theatre (Kenya Cultural Centre) will be the main venue for ACCES 2018, while Alliance Française will host one showcase night on 16 November. Entrance is free but pre-registration will be required.

To view the full programme please visit the official website here. Click here to register for ACCES.

More about ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African event for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting active music industry players from across the globe.

ACCES is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit and pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Alliance Francaise, Kenya’s Permanent Presidential Music Commission (PPMC), MagicalKenya and the Kenya Cultural Centre.