Festival showcases original and diverse music from Africa, and the diaspora.
Sauti za Busara, one of Africa’s top music festivals, is calling for applications for the 2022 edition.
The event's 19th edition is scheduled to be held at its traditional venue in Stone Town, Zanzibar, between February 11 and 13, 2022, and the deadline for applications is on July 31, 2021.
According to the organisers, preference is given to music with cultural identity that connects Africa, the Arab world and Indian Ocean region; women artistes, or groups led by women; young, new and emerging talents; music with messages that are positive, relevant and useful to society; and music that is performed live. The annual music festival showcases live, original and diverse music from the African continent and diaspora.
Musicians representing the Arab world and Indian Ocean region are also encouraged to apply.
Sauti za Busara, translated as ‘voices of freedom’, increases the visibility and accessibility of the live African music genre, develops skills and opportunities for music professionals and strengthens regional and international networking for artistes.
The pan-African event organised annually by Busara Promotions, a non-profit NGO registered in Zanzibar, provides a platform for celebrating cultural pluralism.
For more than a decade, the festival has sought to recognise and bring together artistes and fans, both from Africa and abroad, uniting them for a weekend of music, industry talks and networking sessions. Each year, the organisers receive more than 500 applications from musicians on the continent and diaspora.
According to Busara Promotions, African music unites people in celebration.
The unique mix of artistes and audiences at Sauti za Busara are the key to its success. Twenty-nine thousand people from all corners of the world attended the event over four days last year, a month before the first coronavirus case was recorded in Tanzania.