Concerts SA, IKS Cultural Consulting win international Music Cities Award

The award was presented by Sound Diplomacy during the annual Music Cities Convention held in Hull. The Music Cities Awards recognise creative and cultural initiatives from around the world that contribute to the development of music ecosystems and communities.

Concerts SA received the award in the Placemaking category for its work in supporting live music venues and community spaces as part of broader cultural and urban development efforts.

Established in 2013 with support from the British Council, Concerts SA began as a mobility fund for musicians and has since expanded its activities to include venue development, audience growth, research, skills development and music sector sustainability.

According to the organisation, its programmes have operated across all nine South African provinces and in 11 Southern African countries. More than 29 000 artists and music-sector practitioners have received direct or indirect support through its initiatives, while over 2 000 venues, festivals and community spaces have participated in its programmes.

The project has also contributed to research on South Africa's night-time economy, examining the role of culture and live entertainment in urban development.

The award adds to a series of international recognitions associated with the initiative. In 2019, Concerts for Refugees, a project developed in partnership with the Turquoise Harmony Institute, received the UN Pioneers in SDGs Project Stakeholders Award during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Current support for Concerts SA includes the Festival Enterprise Catalyst project, funded through South Africa's National Treasury Jobs Fund and the Swiss cultural foundation Pro Helvetia.

Speaking after receiving the award, Concerts SA founder and cultural strategist André Le Roux said the recognition reflected the contributions of a broad network of stakeholders.

“There’s a piece of graffiti near the entrance to the Adelphi Club in Hull that reads, ‘You've come a long way, baby.’ That resonated deeply. It's been a long journey, not just the flight from South Africa, but the work of keeping a live music development project alive for more than a decade.

“This award does not belong to any one organisation. It belongs to the thousands of artists, venues, promoters, festivals, and cultural workers who trusted this project with their livelihoods and their art. We accept this award with humility, gratitude, and a renewed commitment to building sustainable live music ecosystems across Southern Africa.”

“Concerts SA remains a cornerstone of SAMRO’s corporate social responsibility, fuelling small and micro-enterprises within the creative sectors,” SAMRO CEO Annabell Lebethe said. “By consistently supporting artist mobility and performance infrastructure, this programme has injected measurable sustainability into the live music industry for more than ten years. We are immensely proud to back a value chain that uplifts composers and musicians alike.”

Concerts SA and IKS Cultural Consulting acknowledged the support of founding partners SAMRO and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria, as well as current project partners and staff members involved in the initiative's implementation and research activities.

The organisations said they intend to continue supporting enterprise development, artist mobility and employment opportunities in the creative sector through ongoing programmes across Southern Africa.