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 and Conference, the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria, the Spanish Cooperation Office, and Ckrowd, successfully delivered a five-day intensive workshop designed to prepare Nigerian artists for the prestigious MASA 2026 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. The workshop specifically targeted traditional musicians specializing in indigenous genres, such as Fuji, Apala, Sakara, and Juju, with the intention of equipping them for global placement and visibility. Participants engaged in a dynamic program covering international touring, cultural diplomacy, cross-cultural collaboration, festival programming, and artistic sustainability within global contexts. Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Valentina Zanelli, Programme Manager at MASA and lead facilitator of the workshop, stated: “Nigeria’s traditional genres are not just heritage; they are contemporary forces that deserve a place in today’s global circuits. Through this workshop, we are building the bridge between local excellence and international opportunities, ensuring that artists are fully prepared to showcase their talent on the MASA stage and beyond.” The five-day training featured impactful sessions from international experts, including representatives from the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria, who shared invaluable market intelligence, mentorship, and professional insights with the artists. For the organizers, the workshop is more than just preparation for MASA 2026; it is part of a long-term strategy to ensure that Nigeria’s traditional music heritage claims its space within international cultural markets, creating opportunities for growth, touring, and global collaboration. The MASA Performing Arts Festival and Conference, scheduled for April 2026 in Abidjan, remains one of Africa’s largest platforms for the performing arts, convening artists, cultural managers, festival curators, and policymakers from around the world. With this workshop, Nigerian traditional artists are better positioned not only to participate but to thrive on this international stage.
Festival Showcase: The Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival
, From Friday, 20th of June, to Saturday 28th of June, 2025, the whole of Africa will be in Rabat, Morocco, for the biggest music event on the African continent, and the second largest music festival in the world, the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival. The festival which was founded in 2002, is celebrating its 20th edition this year. The festival has seen over 2.5 million attendees, has been broadcast to over 4 million people worldwide, has featured over 1300+ musicians and artiste both from Morocco and all over the world and creates direct and indirect jobs for 5000+ people every year. The event is coordinated by Maroc Cultures a non-profit organization dedicated to the development and democratization of culture, in accordance with the vision initiated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Founded in 2001, Maroc Cultures’ primary mission is to create cultural and artistic offerings for audiences in the Rabat-Salé-Zemmour-Zaër region. As a leading cultural event, the Mawazine festival promotes the Kingdom’s values and conveys a message of tolerance, openness, respect, and dialogue. It also supports the local economy by promoting the work of tourism professionals and the development of a national music and entertainment industry. True to its founding mission, Mawazine also makes a major contribution to the democratization of culture in Morocco by offering free access to 90% of its shows and concerts each year. This year’s event is no different in its line-up of both Moroccan and international superstars. Among the names in the lineup are global icons like Americans 50cent, Lil Baby and Will Smith. Also featuring are African superstars like Wizkid, Yemi Alade, and Lojay from Nigeria, Carmen Suleiman from Egypt, Malian legend Salif Keita , and Arab icons like Majida El Roumi and Nancy Ajram, both from Lebanon. At Arts Connect Africa, we celebrate and support the Mawazine Rhythms of the World Festival, not just because its goals align with our focus areas of education, cultural exchange, and economic impact in Africa, but also because of the platform it gives to African artistes and creatives to be able to perform alongside their global contemporaries. For more information, visit the festival website https://mawazine.ma/fr/
MASA 2026 Pre-Event Training Now Open for Registration
The registration link for our pre-event training for Nigerian creatives who wish to participate in the MASA Festival 2026 in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire is now live. The training will be happening daily from July 14th- to July 18th in Ibadan, Nigeria, and is open to Performing Artists in the four fields of Dance, Theatre, Music, and Storytelling/Poetry/Spoken word. If you are in any of the mentioned fields and you will be available physically for the five days, register HERE. Spaces for the training are limited and it will be on a first come first served basis, so you are advised to register as quickly as possible. The training is sponsored by the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria, and The Spanish Corporation Office in collaboration with MASA,Abidjan, Arts Connect Africa and Ckrowd. It is also supported by Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN) Oyo State Chapter, Emmylyskillz Productions, Stage Alive, and Aditu Ede Community.
This June at Arts Connect Africa
Hello, welcome to June 2025. We want to wish you a great month. At ACA, we have a busy month ahead of us because June is the start of the festival circuit across Africa. Thus we are highlighting and celebrating a number of festivals , cultural showcases and impact makers across the continent. We also have a preparing for a training program coming up next month. Here is a roundup of what we have for you this month. We are Partnering with Spanish Embassy and Ckrowd to Train Performance Artists This month we are partnering with the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria, The Spanish Corporation Office and Ckrowd to organize a pre-event training for Nigerian creatives who wish to participate in the MASA Festival 2026 in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire. The training will be happening from July 14th- to July 18th in Ibadan, Nigeria, and is open to Performing Artists in the field of dance, theatre, music, and storytelling/poetry/spoken word. If you are a performing artist in any of these disciplines, watch out for the registration form, coming this month, either from Ckrowd’s social media pages ckrowdafrica ( on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram) or on the our social media pages, @officialaca1 (Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram) Our Lineup of African festivals Coming up this June The Gnaoua and World Music Festival takes place in Essaouira, Morrocco from the 19th to the 21st of June 2025. The Festival brings together famous and emerging artists alike in a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere. Between unprecedented fusions and prestigious collaborations, the maâlems’ hypnotic rhythms encounter sounds from other places – jazz, blues, rock, reggae, traditional music – to create unique and magical moments. Legends like Pat Metheny, Marcus Miller, Joe Zawinul, or Maceo Parker have shared the stage with Gnaouas, pushing the limits of secular music toward a truly universal dimension. From June 20th to 28th we have the Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morroco. Mawazine is one of several cultural events organized to contribute to Morocco’s international image and promote its cultural diplomacy efforts. 2025 will be the 20th edition and it is expected to attract nearly 3 million people from around the world Mawazine aims to highlight the Kingdom’s values by promoting messages of tolerance, openness, respect, and dialogue. In addition to featuring a diverse array of international and local artists, the festival is intended to position Rabat as a city open to global cultural exchange. The National Arts Festival will take place from June 26th-July 6th 2025 The National Arts Festival, which started in 1974 (which makes it one of the longest running Arts festivals in Africa)an annual multi-disciplinary arts festival place in the Eastern Cape town of Makhanda (formerly Grahamstown), South Africa. The NAFis defined by the idea that the arts help us understand our world, connect within it, find meaning and drive transformation. Follow Us For News Features and Showcases from Across the Continent Throughout the month our members are going to be featuring in media across Africa and beyond as authorities on various issues in the African cultural and creative industry. Their thoughts are going to focus on the areas of education, cultural exchange, and economic impact. Watch this space for op-eds, magazine features, and guest features on audio and visual media . you can also watch out for our celebration of our members and other Africa impact makers who are promoting the creative and cultural values of Africa from all over the continent in our Profiles Follow our campaign showcasing the cultural values of various cultures from all over the continent. Enjoy our features on music, dress and other vibrant ways in which we showcase Africa on our various platforms. Follow us @officialaca1 on Instagram, Facebook and X, and at @Arts Connect Africa on LinkedIn.
Why Cultural Exchange Matters: Celebrating The MTN Bushfire Festival 2025
In an increasingly interconnected world, cultural exchange programs have emerged as one of the most powerful tools for fostering understanding, collaboration, and innovation across borders. According to UNESCO, cultural and creative industries generate annual revenues of over $2.25 trillion and employ nearly 30 million people worldwide.These programs allow people from diverse backgrounds to share their heritage, learn from one another, and create lasting bonds. For Africa, a continent rich in cultural wealth yet often misrepresented on the global stage, cultural exchange programs offer a unique opportunity to reshape narratives, amplify voices, and drive mutual growth. Cultural exchange is more than a celebration of diversity; it is an essential vehicle for societal and economic progress. These programs play a crucial role in building mutual understanding, inspiring creativity, enhancing professional growth, and strengthening global solidarity. At Arts Connect Africa, one of our focus areas for the year 2025 is cultural exchange projects. We believe that cultural exchange can provide enormous benefits for the creative industry in Africa. And that is why this week our focus will be on the MTN Bushfire Festival happening in Eswatini Southern Africa from 30th of May to the 1st of June 2025. Globally infused, authentically African and proudly Eswatini, MTN Bushfire is one of Africa’s largest multicultural gatherings, illuminating the transformational power of the arts through our call to action for positive social and environmental change, #BRINGYOURFIRE. A diverse, inclusive and family-friendly music and arts festival set in a fantasy-scape of the imagination, MTN Bushfire takes place in the beautiful farmland and mountains of the peaceful Malkerns Valley in Eswatini. Every year, The festival welcomes Fire Starters from over 60 countries in Africa and beyond, to celebrate Africa Month for an energizing and uplifting weekend, with an eclectic program featuring some of the finest musical and artistic talents from across Africa and around the globe. Five-time Grammy Award-winning a cappella ensemble Ladysmith Black Mambazo will headline the festival this year. A conscious celebration of unity in diversity and an inspiring emblem of social inclusion, MTN Bushfire Festival represents the kind of world we stand for at Arts Connect Africa, a community of change-makers, thought leaders, and creative problem solvers who unite in a celebration of the arts and in the spirit of taking action against discrimination, environmental degradation and poverty in Africa. The MTN Bushfire Festival since its first edition in 2007 has always been focused on opening doors to new markets, audiences, and networks for cultural practitioners in Eswatini and Africa as whole. For example one of the headline acts that will participate in the festival this year will be Grupo MAVICHI, the winners of the 2024 Festival de Músicas del Pacífico in Colombia. Grupo MAVICHI is a Colombian group made up of 11 musicians who share a family legacy and a strong passion for reinforcing the historical and cultural ties between the Colombian Pacific and Africa. The MTN Bushfire festival is also part of a network of music festivals called IGODA. IGODA represents a unique collaboration that brings together the finest music festivals in Southern Africa. it has become one of the first touring circuits on the African continent. However to founders Jiggs and Sholto Thorne, the festival is not just an avenue for fun and celebration, it is also a vehicle for creative activism. A regular feature of the MTN Bushfire Festival is the Collabonation an annual arts development project supported by MTN and produced by Bushfire Records. In which music artistes from different countries collaborate and put out a call to action for positive social and environmental change through music. Arts Connect Africa (ACA) recognizes the crucial role of cultural exchange projects in enhancing the advancement and globalization of African music, arts and culture. Our mission is to continue to endorse and support similar noteworthy events across the continent that facilitate significant connections that empower African artists and their international peers. Apart from MTN who is the title sponsor for the event, Bushfire Festival is also supported by multinational agencies and brands such as SABC, Corona, the European Union, United Nations (Eswatini), Coca Cola, Eswatini Air and several other brands and agencies. We celebrate the co-founder of the MTN Bushfire Festival, Jiggs Thorne, our member from Eswatini who, even beyond the festival, has been at the forefront of leading meaningful cultural exchange projects that elevates African arts and culture. We support the MTN Bushfire festival for the cross-border collaborations, and knowledge-sharing platforms opportunities for African artists to engage with global audiences that it has created for nearly two decades. For the festival schedule, news and preparations, visit the official MTN Bushfire website
Events: The Africa Rising Music Conference (South Africa)
The Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) is Johannesburg and one of South Africa’s premier platform dedicated to female leadership and building connections between artists and executives. Scheduled for its fifth edition on May 22nd and 23rd, 2025, ARMC aims to bridge the gap between African talent and the international music scene, offering valuable insights for stakeholders eager to navigate the rapidly growing African market. Founded by Sarah Jane Nicholson, Managing Director of Paradise Worldwide Africa in 2018, ARMC’s key objectives include amplifying underrepresented voices, building bridges, facilitating knowledge exchange, and driving innovation. The conference provides a dynamic environment for discovering new talent, catalyzing meaningful change, and creating unparalleled opportunities for growth and collaboration. Whether you’re an artist, brand, or executive, ARMC offers a platform to understand and influence the future of music, both in Africa and globally. The conference features ARMC by Day, comprising panels, workshops, and networking sessions, alongside ARMC by Night, which showcases performances by local and international artists. For its 5th iteration this year, the conference will take place at Constitution Hill — a venue emblematic of South Africa’s journey to democracy. Rethabile Khumalo, South African Singer/Songwriter and Director at WINNKAY MUSIC RECORDS & MANAGEMENT; Msaki, South African composer, singer, and songwriter; Sibu Mabena, Founder of Duma Collective; South African Hip-Hop icon Jack Parow, Charlotte Bwana, Vice President of Marketing Africa & MENA at Audiomack; Nick DeCosemo, Global Editorial Director at Wasted Talent – Mixmag; Phatstoki, Co-Founder of P_ssy Party; Nickita Maesela City Manager Johannesburg at Resident Advisor; Jonathan Bandli, Creative Director at Bad Weather Productions, an innovator in visual storytelling; Rehana Pillay, General Manager at Mint Digital Services; Alan Freeman, Director at Freeman House Recovery, and many more music and business professionals will be sharing their insights at ARMC 2025. You can find the full lineup of speakers here. At Arts Connect Africa, we celebrate and support the Africa Rising Music Conference, and its founder Sarah Jane Nicholson, not just because its goals align with our focus areas of education, cultural exchange, and economic impact in Africa, but also because of the platform it gives to to female music business leaders and female artistes and creative industry professionals. To learn more about the ARMC and follow the 2025 event, Visit the official event website. You can also get instant updates on the Africa Rising Music Conference 2025 social media platforms YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.
Festival Showcase: The AZGO Festival Maputo
The Azgo Festival, one of the most prestigious international arts festival in Mozambique will be on in Maputo this May starting on the 21st and running until the 23rd. Bringing a diverse program of quality music, film and dance to the city of Maputo, Azgo is a contemporary celebration of arts and culture, with a strong focus on artists from Mozambique and across the African continent. The 2025 edition takes place at the Franco-Mozambican Cultural Centre (CCFM) and XHUB – Cultural and Creative Business Incubator in Maputo, bringing together national and international voices for three days of debates, workshops and networking sessions. The festival which started in 2011 serves as a platform for emerging and acclaimed artists to collaborate and meet a new audience. The name “Azgo” is an old Maputo slang for “let’s go”, “let’s” revisit our cultures and heritage, “let’s” promote cultural diversity, “let’s” promote arts and culture, Let’s Go… One of the major highlights of the AZGO Festival this year will be the AZGODIALOGAR forum, a platform for reflection and training on the paths of professionalization and transformation of the music industry in Mozambique and beyond borders. The forum will feature discussions and debates led by music business professionals and creatives from across Africa. Some of the guests who have been confirmed include notable names such as Phiona Okumu (Spotify Africa Music), Jiggs Thorne (Director of Bushfire and Luju Festivals, Eswatini and member of Arts Connect Africa), Maggie Doherty (Art agent, France), Hortense Volle (RFI journalist), Paulo Chibanga (Founder of AZGO Festival), Paulo Sithoe (Director do Festival Marrabenta), Reps from The Orchard, global musical content distributor.AZGODIALOGAR is an initiative of Khuzula, funded by the Fund Création Africa – Mozambique (Embassy of France), in partnership with the World Bank, Embassy of the European Union, Creatifi, CCFM and French Institute. The experts at the forum will be offering their insights on topics such as Artistic Careers Management, Musicians circulation in regional and international markets, Copyright and sustainable models, Digital platforms and innovation, the role of festivals in promoting cultural diversity, among other topics of interest in the creative industry on the African continent. The closing of the festival on May 23 will be marked by a vibrant showcase featuring performances by artists from several provinces in Mozambique such as Cheny Wa Gune, The Kassimbos Band (Niassa), Marrove Band (Nampula),Xixel Langa, Radjha Ally among other local and international artistes Arts Connect Africa congratulates Paulo Chibanga, the founder of the AZGO Festival, and our member from Mozambique and Julia Novela, Co-Founder of the AZGO Festival in anticipation of a successful festival. We are looking forward to a good time in Maputo, particularly at the forum where we will be following the invited guests to learn from them in line with our goals of training African professionals, culture exchange and financial impact. To learn more about the AZGO festival visit https://azgofestival.com/sobre-o-festival/ you can also follow the festival live and find out more information on Facebook Instagram and Twitter/X
Arts Connect Africa Festival Showcase: MUICA African Film Festival 2025
–Muestra Itinerante de Cine Africano (MUICA African Film Festival) is a biennial event directed to audiences of different cities in Colombia, presenting a selection of African and Afro-diasporic films, aimed at highlighting and disseminating the creative versatility of African and Afro-descendant artists. MUICA works in the creation of new audiences, enriching the perceptions about the African continent, and hoping to contribute to fill those gaps left by educational institutions, dominant cultural initiatives and the media. Starting in 2015, MUICA has presented more than 70 films from 40 African countries, in more than 300 screenings, attracting around 8,000 spectators, an audience that for the most part had not been exposed to African cinema. More than 50 organizations have joined forces to make MUICA possible, and more than 12 cities, inside and outside Colombia, have requested the participation of the showcase in their events and cinemas. MUICA has been a special guest at other festivals such as the OCOTE Documentary Film Festival in Chiapas, Mexico, Making Africa Exhibition in Barcelona, Spain, FECISLA in Isla Fuerte, Colombia, the International Afro Kunta Kinte Film Festival in Medellin, Colombia, Gracias Africa in Bogota, the National Festival of Afro-Argentinean Culture in La Plata, Argentina, among others. In the context of MUICA, other special screenings have been organised in different spaces. The 2025 edition, which is the 10th edition of the festival is coming in Africa Month, and will feature free screenings of over 40 movies from Africa and the Africa diaspora, 3 film categories premieres, international workshops featuring Colombian, African and other filmmakers and film critics from across the world as well as virtual reality features. This year’s edition being its 10th anniversary will feature a special presentation on 10 years of the MUICA Film Festival. The anniversary feature will focus on not just the festival, but stories of Africa and the African diaspora in Colombia and in the world. The MUICA Film Festival 2025 starts on the 10th of May and runs to the 31st May 2025. It will take place in five cities Tumaco and Buenaventura, from 10th to 14th May, Cali from 15th to 18th May, Bogota from 21st-25th May, and Cartegena 28th to 31st of May. Follow the official festival pages on Facebook and Instagram for live updates, and information. Arts Connect Africa proudly supports the MUICA Film Festival and our member Salym Fayad who is one of the co-directors of the festival. We are happy for the platform that MUICA is giving to African stories in Africa month. We wish Salym all the best as he leads the team in bringing the MUICA film festival to reality.
From Dakar Music Expo 2025: State of Play of African Jazz
Putting African jazz in the spotlight has long been on the mind of Dudu Sarr, the creator of the Dakar Music Expo . His project has finally taken shape for the 6th edition, with a clear objective: to pay tribute to the “excellent instrumentalists” of this musical genre. The music promoter fondly remembers the great guitarist Jimmy Mbaye , from Youssou N’Dour ‘s band Super Étoile, who recently passed away. ” He had an extraordinary, unique sound ,” says Dudu. ” I dreamed for a long time of putting him in the spotlight. That’s where the idea was born. ” Despite the richness of the African jazz scene, one major problem persists: the perception of the genre. ” We often tend to believe that there is no jazz in Africa ,” laments Mawuto Dick, director of the Togo Jazz Festival in Lomé. Often because we imagine music to be listened to while sitting down, far removed from the realities of the continent. ” People don’t listen to much jazz; in Africa, we like to dance, let off steam, and listen to variety ,” laments Togolese jazz drummer Kossi Mawun. To read the rest of the article visit the rFi website .
Highlights from the 3rd Annual ACA Congress in Rabat, Morocco
Our 3rd Annual Congress in Rabat, Morocco, held during the Visa For Music Festival, was a great time for members of the network to meet again. For many of the members who came, it was their first time at an ACA event, so they had plenty of opportunities to catch up with fellow members that they had not met before, and there were plenty of opportunities for deals and collaborative projects to be struck. However, beyond all the individual networking, the congress itself was fruitful for all participants, and as a network, the ACA made some firm decisions on what to focus on going into 2025. Moving forward, the network will focus on three key areas. Education, cultural exchange projects, and a membership drive. Education Education and professionalism have been major issues for the African creative industry professionals , and one that the ACA has decided to focus on. It was decided that Board member Walter Wanyanya (Zimbabwe) would lead our initiatives around the learning and education of African creative industry professionals by bringing ideas as well as identifying partners and projects that can help us to achieve our aim of educating a new generation of music professionals in Africa. Culture Exchange Projects The ACA has identified to create an inclusive network of creative industry professionals on the continent, there needs to be culture exchange projects with the bodies within and outside the continent. The ACA hopes to be a key player in terms of cultural exchanges on the African continent and has already identified a number of organizations and institutions that are interested in cultural exchange projects within and outside the continent. Member Salym Fayad (South Africa), by virtue of his work as a cultural promoter, which has allowed him to be rooted in two continents, will lead ACA’s efforts around sustainable cultural exchanges. Membership It was noted that while it is commendable that the current membership of the ACA shows the diversity of the African creative industry, the ACA needs to open its doors wider to industry professionals from all corners of the continent, especially from parts of Africa that are often underrepresented in conversations around the creative industry on the continent. Thus, it was decided that board member Kayode Adebayo (Nigeria) should lead the network’s membership drive. His duties will include determining an appropriate membership structure for the network; creating membership criteria that would attract new members and also ensure that existing members derive valuable benefits from their membership; and identifying new members who might be willing to join the network in the near future. Adebayo was determined to be qualified for this role by virtue of being in charge of the ACA secretariat, his work in creating and managing the network’s membership platform, and how his tech startup, Ckrowd, is enhancing the discoverability of music professionals in Africa. Finance and Investment The congress determined that the network would need finance to carry out its set projects, and thus there needs to be a finance committee to support planned projects for 2025. Faisal Kiwewa (Uganda) was appointed to head the finance committee to lead the ACA’s investment drive. Faisal would be required to work with other committee heads to draft budgets for ACA programs; to identify sources of investment and funding for the network; and to identify individual and institutional partners who are willing to support the network with grants and funding. We congratulate the people who have been appointed to lead various initiatives, and we are excited about what is to come from our focus areas in 2025. We are looking forward to continuing to bring you news of the various initiatives and projects that are going to come from these three focus areas. Arts Connect Africa is still committed to building a creative industry that will have a cultural and economic impact on the African continent.