Our Sound, Our Soul: The Case for Returning African Instruments to the Studio

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

October 6, 2025
MASA 2026: Fuji, Apala, Juju Set to Go Global After Ibadan Workshop

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

September 3, 2025
MASA 2026: ACA Partners with Embassy of Spain, Spanish Cooperation Office, and Ckrowd to Host Training for Nigerian Artists

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

August 19, 2025
Cultural Sell Outs: Why Africa’s Overt Mirroring of Foreign Cultures is Too Risky

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

August 18, 2025
From Heritage to Global Stage: How ACA and Ckrowd Are Powering Africa’s Creative Youth

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

August 6, 2025
Building the Future We Imagine: Why Culture, Not Charity, Will Skill Africa’s Youth

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

July 28, 2025
Bring it Back Home: A Cultural Call for African Music Festival Infrastructures

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

July 21, 2025
School of the Stage: How ACA-Supported Festivals Are Becoming Training Grounds for Africa’s Music Professionals

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

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

June 30, 2025