Our Sound, Our Soul: The Case for Returning African Instruments to the Studio
It’s disturbingly easy these days to make a hit record in Africa that sounds like it could have been made anywhere else. A laptop, a few “Afrobeats” loops, and a
MASA 2026: Fuji, Apala, Juju Set to Go Global After Ibadan Workshop
Ibadan, Nigeria — From 25–29 August 2025, the city of Ibadan became the epicenter of cultural preparation as Arts Connect Africa (ACA), in collaboration with the MASA Performing Arts Festival
MASA 2026: ACA Partners with Embassy of Spain, Spanish Cooperation Office, and Ckrowd to Host Training for Nigerian Artists
Ibadan, Nigeria – [8/19/2025] From 25–29 August 2025, Ibadan will become the hub of cultural preparation as Arts Connect Africa (ACA), in partnership with the MASA Performing Arts Festival and
Cultural Sell Outs: Why Africa’s Overt Mirroring of Foreign Cultures is Too Risky
There is a familiar discomfort that settles in the stomach of anyone paying close attention to Africa’s music industry today. It is the kind of discomfort you feel when a
From Heritage to Global Stage: How ACA and Ckrowd Are Powering Africa’s Creative Youth
Africa is home to the world’s youngest and most culturally dynamic population. As the continent’s creative industries expand, skills in music production, storytelling, visual arts, and digital media are becoming
Building the Future We Imagine: Why Culture, Not Charity, Will Skill Africa’s Youth
On World Youth Skills Day 2025, the global conversation circled a familiar question: how do we equip young people with the tools for a future that is both uncertain and
Bring it Back Home: A Cultural Call for African Music Festival Infrastructures
By now, it’s a familiar sight: tens of thousands of bodies in motion, hands in the air, and African voices commanding the crowd, not in Lagos, not in Accra, not
School of the Stage: How ACA-Supported Festivals Are Becoming Training Grounds for Africa’s Music Professionals
In Africa’s surging creative economy, music festivals are rapidly becoming more than just venues for performance — they are evolving into dynamic learning spaces, training grounds, and talent conduits. Beneath the
Partner Project Showcase: Ckrowd Virtual Seminar Series
The African music industry is growing fast, but the talent pipeline from local status to global relevance is still stifled. African music industry professionals suffer from skill gaps and lack










