Ghana to host 2019 ACCES music conference

The Ghanaian city will be the third African capital to host the prestigious trade event after Dakar and Nairobi welcomed delegates from around the world in 2017 and 2018 respectively.

"We are incredibly excited to announce beautiful Accra as the next ACCES city," MIAF director Eddie Hatitye said. "We see Accra as one of the leading music hubs in Africa and can't wait to expose participants from other African countries and around the globe to its musical treasures as well as those of Ghana as a whole.

"ACCES 2019 will also give Ghana-based and West African artists, start-ups and various industry service providers the ideal platform to show off their clout. This year we will further refine our programme; we want to see more and more success stories emerging with every newly held ACCES conference and we believe creating bridges is one of the best ways to do that."

Last year's ACCES was held at the Kenya National Theatre in Nairobi where about 1 000 delegates from more than 40 countries gathered to exchange ideas, discover new talent and shape the continent's music sector.

ACCES 2018 also saw the participation of 70 regional and international artists who showcased on two stages in front of industry movers and shakers as well as future collaborators. This year, ACCES is planning a similar programme of showcases in Accra and has already published a call for applications directed at artists who would like to be considered for a slot at the conference.

"This time we're asking African musicians to start applying from early in the year to avoid disappointment," Hatitye said. "We are looking for a diverse line-up made up of all genres that can impress any international audience. Like last year, we will be employing a knowledgeable curation committee of leading industry players on the continent to select the artists ahead of ACCES in November."

ACCES 2019 will open with a ceremony on 28 November where the MIAF will award a Ghanaian musician with the Music In Africa Honorary Award. The award is bestowed upon African artists who have made immense contributions to the music and cultural industries in their countries and Africa as a whole. Previous award recipients include Baaba Maal (Senegal) and Eric Wainaina (Kenya), both of whom were also ACCES keynote speakers. In addition, the conference will feature panel discussions, presentations, interactive exhibitions, speed networking sessions and outings to key industry hubs in the host city such as recording studios and live venues, among many other activities.  

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade event for music industry players to exchange ideas, discover new talent and create business linkages. ACCES is held in a different African city every year, attracting active music industry players from across the globe.

ACCES is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit and pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung and Goethe-Institut.

For more information about the conference, visit the official ACCES website.