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

Features

5 reasons P-Square needs a new Greatest Hits collection

29 Feb 2016 - 15:27

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Nigerian pop group P-Square have been at the centre of the pop scene in Africa since their debut album in 2003. Initially an R&B group with a lot of dancing, they have gone through several genres and developed a crossover sound. They have also dominated the pop scene in several ways. In financial terms, they topped the list of richest Nigerian stars. Musically, their last album Double Trouble spawned the single 'Shekini', 'Ejeajo' (with US rapper TI) and 'Collabo' (with producer Don Jazzy), three singles heard around the continent - and they took two awards at the last MTV Africa Music Awards.

p-square

In 2013 the group released a Greatest Hits album that wasn't quite celebrated. Below are five reasons why P-Square releasing a new, better Greatest Hits compilation is something that should happen sooner rather than later.

1. The group may be breaking up

News of a quarrel in the Okoye household spread around social media over the past few weeks. First Peter took to twitter to announce the sack of the group’s long-time manager Jude Okoye who is also elder brother to the twins. The series of tweets provided no reason for the decision, only telling followers that the duo remained but management had to go. This would have been enough. But Paul, his twin, objected and released a photo of himself and Jude, with Peter's image cut out.

Subsequently, reports of the group's failure to perform at a scheduled show was made public. This was blamed on the family feud. A compilation album released now would take attention from their private lives and back to the music. And if a break-up does happen, fans would at least have the pleasure of one last album from the all-conquering twins. Already both artists have started solo projects.


2. The hit machinery is in decline

In the beginning, the P-Square twins had a sure-fire formula for making pop hits. Songs like ‘Senorita’, ‘Roll It’ and ‘Bizzy Body’ set dancefloors afire from Niger state to Nairobi, from Accra to Addis Ababa. While the boys have remained relevant, the hits have not been quite as dominant as their early hits. It may be time for a collection of those tunes to be released as a reminder of why they are so highly in demand.


3. As a commemoration of both life and career

From young men fresh in college to their current position as fathers, P-Square have provided their audience with a snapshot of the evolution of the contemporary pop star. Their life and affairs have provided journalists with stories; their music has provided DJs with material. What else is there than to release a retrospective of a career rich in hits and incidence?


4. They have won lifetime achievement awards

At the 2014 Headies, organisers presented the twins with an award in recognition of their contributions to contemporary pop. And last year, MTV gave them the award for Artist of the Decade. It seems only right that in commemoration of both awards, P-Square returns to the studio record a couple new tunes and a slew of older hits for the enjoyment of fans.


5. They have the material

Perhaps there is no better reason to have a Greatest Hits collection that the abundance of material. The boys revolutionised the idea of promoting the album by producing a number of high production value music videos. Each album has had more than a handful of hits, especially so with the early albums. It stands to reason that it is possible for Africa’s premiere pop twins to release several retrospective albums chockful of hits. Releasing a second greatest hits collection, this time with considerable fanfare, solidifies the group's position as contemporary pop pioneers.

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