Music In Africa Live 2020 recipients share success stories

In response to the circumstances brought about by the pandemic – where musicians were restricted from performing live and the industry was forced to rapidly migrate to the digital domain amid a largely analogue African music sector – the Music In Africa Foundation (MIAF) devised and launched the Music In Africa Live initiative in August 2020. 

The project offered financial support to operators and enabled them to create high-quality productions and promote, market and showcase their content to a wider global audience, primarily via digital means. MIAL facilitated the creation and dissemination of educational content intending to upskill and enable professionals to adapt to the needs of the changing music industry. 

A total of 23 grants were awarded to recipients from the length and breadth of the African continent, covering each geographical region – North, South, Central, West and East – and spread out across 13 countries. The four key goals achieved in the first call for applications were the staging of high-quality performance productions, the creation of sector-specific educational content, the promotion of African content to a wider audience, and the provision of earning opportunities for musicians and associated professionals like videographers, publicists and graphic designers, among others. 

These successes are best expressed through the words of recipients who were awarded MIAL funding in 2020: 

MIAL allowed us to drive visibility for our pay-per-view platform that continues to establish itself as a viable option to monetise music online at a reasonable compensation price point. The grant also allowed us to demonstrate our values, especially innovation and resilience during a time when most players were out of action. – Elijah Kitaka, Fezah App, Uganda

The grant allowed us to go back to the market and produce a project that we couldn’t have been able to, as we were only able to cover the operational costs. Now we have a product that we can take to corporates and other sponsors as proof – Justine Mbugua, GoodTimes Entertainment, Kenya

We've had messages from new and experienced musicians that expressed the appreciation for our content and how helpful it will be going forward. For the first time, this information is easily and freely available and relevant to South African musicians and music industry professionals, which is a pure form of empowerment. – Finn MacKinnon, Burning Groove, South Africa

MIAL has helped us galvanise the community in Accra post-COVID and give practical tools to assist them in making work. The production is also something to add to our portfolio, and has brought renewed interest in our work within and outside the country. – Elisabeth Efua Sutherland, Accra Theatre Workshop, Ghana

To learn more about the second iteration of this ground-breaking initiative, read the 2021 call for applications, or alternatively be inspired by the content produced by last year’s recipients here.

About Music In Africa Live

The main goal of Music In Africa Live (MIAL) is to enable musicians to earn income from digital live performances at a time when many of them have lost their usual income due to the pandemic. The other focus of the project is to develop critical skills among professionals with a view to enable them to navigate the challenges occasioned by the pandemic. In its second iteration, MIAL introduces a new category – Music Advocacy. This category will financially support projects that conduct advocacy aimed at protecting the interests of musicians through the creation of relevant content. It offers an opportunity for musicians who are not often heard to raise their voices and creatively package their actions in compelling formats that can reach wider audiences. 

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