ABOUT THE EVENT

ACCES

The Music In Africa Conference For Collaborations, Exchange And Showcases, or simply ACCES, is the leading pan-African platform for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and accelerate the shaping of a vibrant music sector in Africa.

ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting delegates from across the world. The event is spread over three days, offering a dynamic programme designed to benefit local participants and visiting delegates who typically represent the whole music value chain, including but not limited to music distributors, publishers, promoters, bookers, record labels, musicians, CMOs, funders, policymakers and NGOs.

The programme offers industry talks, keynotes, live performances, networking sessions, pitch sessions, training workshops, exhibitions and collaborative recording spaces for participating artists. ACCES also offers delegates opportunities to visit key music industry hubs in the host city.

OPPORTUNITIES

• Connect with local, regional and international professionals
• Showcase your music and gain touring opportunities
• Develop new partnerships and collaborations
• Join an active network of music professionals on the continent
• Promote your services/products to a wider audience
• Gain industry insight and keep up-to-date with the latest trends 
• Share your ideas and knowledge

OBJECTIVES
The broader objectives of ACCES are:

• To connect and promote exchange between music professionals from, or related to, Africa and its diaspora;
• to facilitate the discovery of African music talent & new opportunities;
• to provide reliable and useful information that promotes the African music sector and its operators;
• to encourage the creation of content by Africans, about Africa or related to Africa and its diaspora;
• to improve the distribution, accessibility and viability of African musical works;
• to strengthen music networks and collaboration on the continent;
• to support growth in the African music sector.

HISTORY

ACCES started in 2016 as a small feature on the Music In Africa Foundation’s AGM programme in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, before being launched as a fully-fledged international event in Dakar in 2017.

After Dakar, ACCES was held in Nairobi (2018), Accra (2019), Johannesburg (2021) and Dar es Salaam (2022 and 2023) featuring a strong list of influential artists, such as Mulatu Astatke (Ethiopia), Baaba Maal (Senegal), Sho Madjozi (South Africa), Eric Wainaina (Kenya), Ebo Taylor (Ghana), Mr. Eazi (Nigeria), Yugen Blakrok (South Africa), Blinky Bill (Kenya), Blick Bassy (Cameroon), Sarkodie (Ghana), Sway Dasafo (UK), Stogie T (South Africa), Efya (Ghana), Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa), Samini (Ghana), Skales (Nigeria), Busiswa (South Africa), Abidoza (South Africa), Marioo (Tanzania), Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) and many more.

HONOURING AFRICAN MUSIC GIANTS

At the 2018 edition, the Music In Africa Foundation introduced the Music In Africa Honorary Award as a way to celebrate the outstanding contribution of notable musicians to their home country’s industries and Africa as a whole. Baaba Maal (Senegal) was the first recipient of the award. His 2017 award was presented to him retrospectively in 2018. Eric Wainaina (Kenya) was given the accolade for the year 2018. Veteran Ghanaian musicians Ebo Taylor and Bibie Brew were each presented the award in 2019. South African legendary musicians Thandiswa Mazwai and Vusi Mahlasela received the 2021 Music In Africa Honorary Award, followed by Saida Karoli and DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra (Tanzania) in 2022. 

LANGUAGE

The ACCES programme is implemented in English, Swahili and French, depending on the host country.

OVERVIEW

> 2000+ ON-SITE AUDIENCE
> 50+ COUNTRIES
> 100+ PERFORMERS
> 70+ SPEAKERS, FACILITATORS & NETWORKERS
> 150+ TRAINEES
> 2m+ ONLINE AUDIENCE

DATES

ACCES is typically held in November every year.

VENUES

ACCES moves to a different African city every year.

TESTIMONIALS

“The only music industry event that has a specific focus on the entire African continent and not just a region” – Business Daily Kenya

“The most important pan-African event in terms of cross-border cooperation and the exchange of experience and knowledge.” – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

“ACCES is where borders and limits are expanded - it is where creative heads exchange in order to “ACCES is where borders and limits are expanded - it is where creative heads exchange in order to find solutions for music to evolve and overcome the boundaries set by economy, law and history.”
Roberto Hacaturyan - Ethnomusicologist, musician, consultant - Artlink (Switzerland)

“ACCES is shaping up to be the most globally accessible Pan-African music industry conference. I highly recommend attending it to gain insight into the opportunities and dynamic music that various African artists have to offer the world.”
Wendy Verwey Bekker - Regional manager Africa - Ditto Music (South Africa)

“We met great people during ACCES, got really good insights and believe we definitely made the right decision joining the delegation to Accra.”
Jonathan Jules - Director International Marketing for Africa - BMG Rights Management GmbH (Germany)

“ACCES 2019 has been a wonderful experience for the band. From the very first email we received to this survey, the ACCES organisers have demonstrated great professionalism and valuable communication skills that are paramount to any event.”
Béatrice Manigat - Arka’n manager (Togo)
 

THEY PARTICIPATED AT ACCES 

A'Salfo I Baaba Maal I Banky W I Blick Bassy I Blinky Bill I Cheick Lô I Didier Awadi I Ebo Taylor I Efya I Eric Wainaina I FOKN Bois I Fid Q I Marioo I Mr Eazi I Msaki I Mulatu Astatke I Muzi I Obrafour I Octopizzo I Pit Baccardi I Samini I Sampa the Great I Sarkodie I Sho Madjozi I Sway Dasafo I Thandiswa Mazwai I Vusi Mahlasela I Yugen Blakrok I Vth Season I Africori I Afrikayna I AFRIMA Awards I Airforce1 Records I Akum agency I Bassline Fest I Believe I Black Major I Boomplay I Bridges for Music I CAPASSO I Chocolate City Group I CISAC I Coke Studio I Content Connect Africa I Dakar Music Expo I Deedo I Ditto Music I Empire I Gallo Music Group I gamma. I Georg-Leitner- Productions I Harmattan Rain I Idol I IOMMA I Lighthouse I Linkfire I Mdundo I Media Sound Hamburg I Momix I Music Imbizo I Nyege Nyege I On the Corner Records I Paradise Entertainment & Distribution I Pepsi I Reeperbahn festival I Roxanne I SACEM I Sakifo I SAMPRA I SAMRO Foundation I Sauti za Busara I Sheer Publishing I Simfy Africa I Singeli Festi I Sisso Records I Slikouronlife I Sony Music Entertainment I Sony Music Publishing I Spotify I Stay Low I Str8Up Vibes I Syllart Records I SxSW I The Orchard I TikTok I Trace TV I Tunecore I UNESCO I Universal Music I Voice of America I Wasafi Media I Womex I Young Music Boss I Yuma Prod and many more!