Applications open for MTN Bushfire 2026

MBABANE – Lauded as a ‘Top African festival’ by the BBC and hailed by CNN as one of the ‘seven African music festivals you really have to see’.

The internationally acclaimed festival of music and the arts, MTN Bushfire, is calling on visionary, socially conscious artists to apply for the opportunity to perform at the 19^th edition of the festival. The event will be held from May 29 to May 31, 2026, at House On Fire in Eswatini.

In an exciting development, the authentically African, globally infused and proudly Swati festival is also inviting artists to apply for the chance to be part of the fourth edition of Bushfire Records’ annual music collaboration project, CollaboNation.

‘Uniting Africa through Music”, CollaboNation is a dynamic expression of MTN Bushfire’s arts development focus, connecting cross-border and cross-genre artists for the creation of unique, uplifting songs.

In addition to a behind-the-scenes creative content production, the CollaboNation journey also culminates in the artists performing at the MTN Bushfire Festival.

True to the festival’s multidisciplinary programme curation, the MTN Bushfire Artist Call-Out invites talented artists across a wide spectrum of artistic disciplines, including live music, dance, theatre, spoken word, comedy, puppetry, film, art exhibitions, storytelling and roving performances. The genres capped as Hip Hop, Gospel and others are also encouraged to apply.

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