Sci-Bono and ConHill confirmed as ACCES 2021 venues

Sci-Bono will host conference sessions, workshops, networking activities, exhibitions and pitch sessions on 26 and 27 November, while Constitution Hill (ConHill) will be dedicated to live performances on all three days of the music industry trade event. From 21 to 27 November, Sci-Bono will also welcome participants of the Music In Africa Gender@Work skills development programme, which aims to address gender imbalances in the music industry by providing opportunities for African women to benefit from a wide range of upskilling options.

ACCES will feature speakers from across Africa, including artists Busiswa (South Africa), Sampa the Great (Zambia), Gigi Lamayne (South Africa), Msaki (South Africa) and Priddy Ugly (South Africa) as well as SlikourOnLife founder Siya ‘Slikour’ Metane (South Africa), event producer and journalist Rashid Lombard (South Africa), Visa For Music project manager Afaf Abahoua (Morocco), Black Major’s Sevi Spanoudi (South Africa), Afro Nation Ghana producer Ruddy Kwakye (Ghana), Dakar Music Expo founder Dudu Sarr (Senegal) and Ongala Festival director Aziza Ongala (Tanzania), among many others.

Sci-Bono Discovery Centre was founded in 2004 by the Gauteng Department of Education. Its mission is to develop science, engineering and technology proficiency in South Africa, leading to economic development and job creation. The centre offers exhibition halls, classrooms, laboratories, a career centre, a 350-seat auditorium, a resource centre, a science & technology hub and an education hub, as well as restaurants and shops. It is currently headed by South African science education expert Dr More Chakane.

The MIAF recently announced Constitution Hill as the main venue for ACCES 2021’s evening activities. The historic venue will play host to the Music In Africa Honorary Awards ceremony during the opening of the event on 25 November and the I AM HERE concert on 27 November in partnership with Bassline. The highly anticipated show will be headlined by Stogie T (South Africa), Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa) and Sampa the Great (Zambia). Joining them are Laliboi (South Africa), Moonga K (Botswana), Morena Leraba (Lesotho) and Ikati Esengxoweni (South Africa). Other artists confirmed for ACCES 2021 showcases include local acts Msaki, Urban Village and Diamond Thug. More artists, including international musicians through a partnership with Reeperbahn Festival International in Germany, will be announced soon.

To reflect the MIAF’s vision of an inclusive pan-African music industry, ACCES has also partnered with Goethe-Institut’s Moving Africa project, which will bring music industry experts from across the continent to Johannesburg to share their knowledge and expertise with the delegates.

Registration for ACCES 2021 is mandatory and on a first-come, first-served basis. African delegates register for free.

The MIAF will continue monitoring COVID-19 developments with a view to offer the safest event possible. More information is available on the ACCES official website.

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, Goethe-Institut, Reeperbahn Festival International and Bassline.

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