Open call: Market for African Performing Arts 2026

MASA is one of the biggest performing arts market in Africa and a unique space to discover the latest and most relevant productions in music, dance, theatre, circus, street arts, slam poetry, and storytelling.

Requirements

• Must be an African artist/company or from the African diaspora
• Performances must be adaptable to indoor or public spaces
• Present a show less than 3 years old, never before presented at MASA

Note: The festival is open exclusively to non-African artists and companies.

Eligible performance categories:

• Music
• Circus
• Puppetry
• Storytelling
• Dance (urban, contemporary, traditional)
• Comedy
• Slam poetry
• Theatre,
• Young audience (all disciplines)
• Street arts

Maximum group size per discipline (including crew and manager):

• Music, dance, circus, puppetry, theatre: Eight people
• Comedy, slam poetry, storytelling: Three people

The application file must include :

• A short presentation of the creation (max 10 lines).
• Three high-definition stage photos.
• A biography of the artist or company with key works highlighted.
• A teaser video (5 to 7 minutes).
• A full video recording of the show.
• A technical sheet specifying :
  • Stage dimensions
  • Lighting setup
  • Number of performers
• Setup and takedown duration
• Weight and volume of sets/props
• Cost of the performance
• A cast list including :
  • Email and phone number of the group’s contact person
  • Departure city (only one per group)
  • List of all members and their roles
  • Name of the stage manager or technical contact

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online through the official MASA website here. Results announcement: The list of selected groups will be published no later than 16 December.

Email candidatures@masa-ci.org or candidatures.festival@masa-ci.org for more information about this call.