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

Alternative

CARLA FRANCO – a Raw and Defiant First Glimpse Into Her Upcoming Third Studio Album

27 Mar 2026 - 11:49

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Rising and promising alternative artist CARLA FRANCO, returns with “VERSION OF ME”, a bold and emotionally unfiltered new single set for release on Friday, 27 March 2026. The record serves as the first offering to represent her highly anticipated third studio album, due for release on 25 April 2026.

 

Carla Franco

Driven by candid, personal lyricism, Carla Franco’s latest single, ‘Version of Me’ dives headfirst into the messy, repetitive cycle of love, loss and accountability. At its core, the song feels like a quiet confrontation where she lays bare the contradictions of holding on and letting go. Lines such as “I am no good at keeping / And I'm even worse at leaving” capture that emotional tension with striking honesty, while the lyrics “I don't really plan on meeting your version of me” pushes back against the pressure of conforming to someone else’s expectations. It's a moment of defiance that grows throughout the track, eventually unfolding into a haunting declaration of self ownership, most powerfully felt in its gripping bridge.

‘Version of me’ also marks a clear turning point in Franco’s sound and artistic direction. While her earlier work leaned into rich, layered production that blended genres, this release strips things back, creating space for her voice and storytelling to take full control. The result is something more intimate and exposed, it’s music that doesn't hide behind production but still invites listeners into its rawest emotional core.

Ultimately, "VERSION OF ME" acts as the definitive bridge between the Carla we knew and the artist she has become. For those encountering her for the first time, this track serves as a hauntingly beautiful induction into an artistry that refuses to look away from the uncomfortable. It marks the transition from an artist exploring her range to one who has mastered her narrative, trading the safety of high-concept production for the raw power of the unvarnished truth.

As the countdown to her third album begins, it is clear that Carla is no longer interested in fitting into the frames built for her. Instead, she is inviting us to witness the demolition of those old versions, leaving behind a sonic landscape that is as uncompromising as it is essential. Whether you are a longtime follower or a newcomer to her sound, one thing is certain: the era of radical honesty has arrived, and it sounds like a revelation.


Carla Franco with "Version Of Me"

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