Open call: Sauti za Busara 2025

Sauti za Busara showcases unique and diverse music primarily from Africa or the diaspora. The line-up of confirmed artists will be announced in October 2024.

Preference is given to:

• Unique music with cultural identity that is connected to Africa.
• Women artists or groups led by women.
• Young, new and emerging talents.
• Music with messages that are positive, relevant and useful to society.
• Music that is performed 100% live.

What to include in your application

To submit your application for participation, send all the listed documents below. Incomplete applications or those submitted after the deadline – 31 July 2024 at 23.59pm EAT – will not be reviewed.

Please label and upload all documents via WeTransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive or fromsmash.com. Insert the links into the designated fields on the application form, ensuring they have unrestricted access to avoid incomplete applications.

Required documents

• Latest recordings (two MP3s max)
• Two recent live performance video links (format MP4, each 200MB max).
• Two high-resolution promotional images in JPG format (minimum 2MB each).
• Stage plan and technical rider.
• Artist passport information required. For a complete application, please provide passport details for all individual artists included in your performance schedule.
• Link to your Music In Africa profile (optional, but recommended).

How to submit

• Download the provided passport details template.
• Carefully enter the passport information for each artist.
• Attach the completed template to your application form.

The deadline to receive your complete application is 31 July 2024 at 23.59pm EAT.

If selected, Sauti za Busara will cover the following expenses for participating artists plus one crew member:

• Modest honorarium, aka performance fee.
• Per diems, for meals and incidentals.
• Accommodation in Zanzibar.
• All local transport related to the performance.
• Tanzania visa costs.
• Festival passes, including access to all shows for the duration of the event.
• Invitations to Movers & Shakers (networking for professionals), press conferences and other events.
• Artist’s profile in festival programmes, press releases, website and social media platforms.
• Travel sponsor logo with link in our website, festival programmes and social media.

Selection process

The selection committee meets in August to finalise the line-up for Sauti za Busara 2025. Applicants will be notified of the outcomes before September. Artists from outside the region are usually required to find their own travel sponsors and the festival will support where possible.

Note: 

• Applications missing the passport details document will be considered incomplete.
• If any artist is a Tanzanian citizen and does not currently hold a passport, contact journey@busara.or.tz to discuss alternative documentation options.
• Music In Africa is the leading information and exchange platform for African artists. To support your application, consider uploading your profile to the Music In Africa portal and paste a link in the application form. A Music In Africa profile acts as an EPK (electronic press kit). If you keep this updated with latest audio and video releases, it will greatly enhance your global visibility and possibly lead to bookings beyond Sauti za Busara. Upload your profile to the Music In Africa portal if you don’t have one.

View the original call here.