AFRICA RISING MUSIC CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2026 RETURN

After the stellar success of its 2025 edition, Africa Rising Music Conference is excited to announce its return to Constitution Hill, Johannesburg on 22–23 May 2026. With artist and speaker applications now open (deadline: 25 September 2025), and tickets officially on sale, ARMC is once again championing underrepresented voices and innovation in the global music ecosystem.

Year-on-Year Growth & Social Impact – ARMC continues its momentum
The 2025 edition broke all previous records, welcoming 1000+ registered attendees from across South Africa and the globe, representing countries including the UK, Germany, Luxembourg, Sweden, Switzerland, the US, and beyond. ARMC hosted 76 speakers from 7 countries, with 58% of attendees identifying as female, further reinforcing its commitment to inclusivity. Over 140 jobs were created during the six-month build-up to the conference  in 2025 in areas such as content creation, sound, staging, and event production.

Social media also saw exponential growth, with over 630,700+ Instagram views between March and May 2025, and projected follower numbers expected to surpass 10,000 by 2026. Key audience hubs included Johannesburg (13.2%), Cape Town (10.3%), and Nairobi (4.7%), while South Africa, Kenya, and Germany led the top five countries engaging with ARMC online.

This year’s Cradle Crew initiative brought 15 underserved rural youth to the event — next year, the aim is to scale to 100 beneficiaries.

2025 Highlights & Real-World Outcomes
Busiswa launched her newest EP Honey & Grace — produced in Berlin via the SAMPRA Development Fund in partnership with ARMC and Paradise Worldwide. Strategic partnerships like Jägermeister’s Global Pass saw KMAT perform at Ibiza’s International Music Summit, Money Badoo traveling to Germany to perform at Reeperbahn Festival, Europe’s biggest cub festival with more exports to be announced soon. The first-ever Mamas in Music roundtable also took place at ARMC 2025 and featured icons like Yvonne Chaka Chaka and was more than just a conversation. It became the launchpad for a new community – the official Africa Chapter of Mamas in Music which will be launched in the coming weeks.

Get Involved — Apply & Attend
Artist & Speaker Applications are now open until 15th October 2025. Selected UK-based artists may receive travel support via PRS Foundation, Goethe-Institute, British Council, and other mobility schemes.

Artist Applications: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScPpXIv0XYc2APe_Y4vein0rCp7AmxVcQoWtRRo7oyIo_5G2Q/viewform?usp=dialog

Speaker Applications:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfWcBrvfaeLYefG1cWcW-U_FAEHMJeO8NhLFAA6PHvRvHK3UQ/viewform?usp=dialog

Tickets
Tickets to daytime talks, workshops, and showcases are now available via Quicket. The first 100x tickets are FREE. Limited VIP tickets are available (includes exclusive sessions, networking, & lounge access).

ARMC 2026 Tickets: https://www.quicket.co.za/events/321748-africa-rising-music-conference-2026/

Why ARMC 2026 Matters
ARMC isn’t just a conference — it’s a catalyst for growth. In just five years, it has evolved from a local meet-up to a high-impact global platform that creates real opportunities.

What You’ll Experience at ARMC 2026
Thought-leadership panels, high-impact keynotes, hands-on workshops and electrifying  artist showcases through “ARMC by Night” can be expected at ARMC 2026 at Constitution Hill.  In addition to that, ARMC will expand their focus on tech and innovation with their demo labs as well as strategic industry networking.

Join Us in 2026 at Constitution Hill to amplify African creativity worldwide.

Apply by 15 October  2025