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Long Story Short named Apple Music’s Up Next artist for South Africa

Long Story Short named Apple Music’s Up Next artist for South Africa

SA: SOL Distro marks first year with more than 1,000 artists, R1m in royalty payouts

SA: SOL Distro marks first year with more than 1,000 artists, R1m in royalty payouts

Spotify adds control to exclude kids’ music from personalised recommendations, Wrapped

Spotify adds control to exclude kids’ music from personalised recommendations, Wrapped

UMG sues DistroKid over alleged copyright infringement, deceptive practices

UMG sues DistroKid over alleged copyright infringement, deceptive practices

SA: Free the Jazz to showcase emerging talent on Heritage Day

SA: Free the Jazz to showcase emerging talent on Heritage Day

SA: Bontle Modiselle, Robot Boii and Baba Mthethwa to host Scorpion Kings Live

SA: Bontle Modiselle, Robot Boii and Baba Mthethwa to host Scorpion Kings Live

Sun-El Musician confirmed for ACCES 2026 in Joburg

Sun-El Musician confirmed for ACCES 2026 in Joburg

Nigeria: Yemi Alade drops ‘IT’S YEMI ALADE’ album

Nigeria: Yemi Alade drops ‘IT’S YEMI ALADE’ album

Linda Sikhakhane announces South Africa, US tour for fifth album

Linda Sikhakhane announces South Africa, US tour for fifth album

Nigeria: Rema releases new single ‘Oh No’ ahead of new project

Nigeria: Rema releases new single ‘Oh No’ ahead of new project

SA: Tumi Musiq prepares new single ‘Many Phases’

SA: Tumi Musiq prepares new single ‘Many Phases’

UMG, ElevenLabs announce AI music licensing partnership

UMG, ElevenLabs announce AI music licensing partnership

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

Music In Africa
Home / Magazine / News
News

SA: National youth talent competition announces top schools

In-house team By In-house team

03 Jun 2026 - 11:51

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By Livhuwani Malelelo and Moletsane A. Rampai 

A nationwide youth talent initiative has announced nine of the 10 schools selected as winners of the 2026 Sunlight #RaiseTheBar: NextGen competition, recognising learners who showcased their creativity through music, dance and storytelling.

The final winning school is expected to be announced at a later date.

The programme, which took place across several provinces, sought to identify young performers and creators using artistic expression to explore themes of identity, confidence and community pride. Participants competed in categories including rap, amapiano dance and creative storytelling.

The schools confirmed among the national winners are Umqhele Comprehensive School and Katlehong Engineering School in Thembisa, Gauteng; Sabela Senior Secondary School in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal; Le-Reng Secondary School in Ladybrand, Free State; Grace and Favour Christian Academy in Lerome, North West; ESCA Wanderers in Johannesburg; Tshilvho Primary School in Thohoyandou, Limpopo; Fulton School for the Deaf in Durban; and Hoërskool Cillié in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.

The organisers said one additional school is yet to be announced to complete the national top 10.

Each winning school will receive R100 000 to support school and community development projects. Learners from the winning entries will also receive R35 000 in recognition of their participation and creative achievements.

According to organisers, the initiative will contribute a total of R1.35 million towards youth development and community upliftment projects across South Africa.

Speaking on behalf of one of the winning schools, Sabela Senior Secondary School teacher Thandeka Hadebe said the programme had encouraged learners to showcase their talents and boosted community pride.

“This recognition belongs to every learner who had the courage to put themselves forward and express who they are through music and dance. It has brought pride to our school, excitement to our community, and shown our learners that their talent has value. Most importantly, it reminds them that where they come from should never limit how far they can go,” she said.

The campaign was supported by dancer and entertainer Robot Boii, who served as a brand ambassador for the initiative.

The final winning school is expected to be announced at a later date.

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