Strong programme released for ACCES 2022

ACCES is known for curating an inclusive and valuable programme for players in the African music industry to meet, exchange and discover new talent in a different African country every year. The 2022 programme features conference presentations, panel discussions, live performances, workshops, networking activities, exhibitions and awards. The conference segments will be held at Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC), while the ACCES live music programme will take place at Brake Point Makumbusho (Village Museum) where musicians from across the African continent will showcase their work in front of avid music fans and international talent buyers.

Conference programme

ACCES has announced to date a strong cohort of music professionals who will speak at the conference. They include Magic System founding member A'salfo (Ivory Coast), Sony Music Publishing Nigeria managing director Godwin Tom, Downtown Music global president Mike Smith, Boomplay Tanzania general manager Natasha Stambuli, Empire Publishing Africa managing director Munya Chanetsa (South Africa), TuneCore West and East Africa head Chioma Onuchukwu (Nigeria) as well as musicians Octopizzo (Kenya), Abigail (Tanzania) and Sholo Mwamba (Tanzania), among many others. 

As part of its educational drive, ACCCES 2022 features content partnerships with brands and organisations such as Spotify, Ziiki Media, Ableton, MediaSoundHamburg, the Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM) and the National Arts Council of Tanzania (BASATA).

“We are very excited to share this year’s ACCES programme with our delegates,” Music In Africa Foundation director Eddie Hatitye said. “We are confident that the different elements and activities we’ve carefully added to this programme will provide an all-inclusive African music industry experience for all who attend this conference.”

ACCES’ conference sessions will include discussions on urban musical cultures, digitisation, new revenue streams for musicians, music education, artist management in the DIY era, copyright and music export, among other topics. More than 60 speakers will share their knowledge at the event, which is expected to draw delegates from over 50 countries. The event will also feature a host of reputable music companies through its exhibition offering, including TuneCore, Ditto Music, Sheer Publishing Africa, the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO), The Music Imbizo, Ziiki Media, WCB Wasafi, The Orchard and many more.

Workshops

ACCES 2022 will feature three workshops targeting music creators. The first workshop, facilitated by accomplished South African producer and musician Mr Sakitumi, will provide aspiring and established producers the opportunity to gain and update their skills in music composition and beatmaking. The second, courtesy of German-British musician and record producer Stephan Eicke, will look at the fundamentals of writing music for media such as TV, film and videogames while considering the importance of music-making equipment.

Meanwhile, SACEM international development officer for Africa, Akotchayé Okio, will take workshop participants through the ins and outs of the African and global copyright ecosystem. This session is designed for all manner of music professionals – including creators, artists managers and entrepreneurs – who may be interested in improving their earning potential from music royalties.

The three workshops will be open to the public for free. Registration is mandatory and can be done here.

Showcases

Brake Point Makumbusho (Village Museum) will be the nightly focal point of ACCES 2022, where musicians representing exciting musical cultures from across the continent will entertain fans and delegates. The line-up will feature top acts such as Sholo Mwamba (Tanzania), SinaUbi Zawose (Tanzania), Oumar Konaté (Mali), Flying Bantu (Zimbabwe), Joyce Babatunde (Cameroon), Naïnako (Madagascar), Vitali Maembe & Watupa Mawe (Tanzania), TaraJazz Zanzibar (Tanzania), Tofa Jaxx (Tanzania) and Kalam (Burkina Faso). More performances will be announced soon.

Honorary awards

Iconic Tanzanian musicians Saida Karoli and DDC Mlimani Park Orchestra will be honoured with the 2022 Music In Africa Honorary Award at the opening of ACCES on 24 November. The award recognises the outstanding contributions of notable musicians to their home country’s industry and that of Africa as a whole. Previous Music In Africa Honorary Award recipients include Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa, 2021), Thandiswa Mazwai (South Africa, 2021), Ebo Taylor (Ghana, 2019), Bibie Brew (Ghana, 2019), Eric Wainaina (Kenya, 2018) and Baaba Maal (Senegal, 2017).

Register for ACCES 2022 here.

About ACCES

ACCES is a pan-African trade show 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 2022 is organised by the Music In Africa Foundation, a non-profit pan-African organisation, in partnership with Siemens Stiftung, Goethe-Institut, Alliance Française, the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Sports of Tanzania, the National Arts Council of Tanzania (BASATA), SACEM, and Salon des Industries Musicales d’Afrique Francophone (SIMA). See all our wonderful ACCES 2022 sponsors and partners here.

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