MBABANE – International crowd puller, MTN Bushfire Festival has officially opened artists’ applications for its 2026 edition.
The celebrated annual premier music and arts event is already planning ahead of its 19th edition for May 2026.
Socially conscious artists from across the African continent and beyond are invited to apply to be part of the fourth edition of Bushfire’s pan-African collaboration project, CollaboNation, themed ‘Uniting Africa through Music’.
CollaboNation is a cross-border collaboration that merges the arts and development focus, connecting cross-border artists in the spirit of unity and in pursuit of unique, uplifting songs.
In addition to a behind-the-scenes documentary process, CollaboNation usually also culminates in the artists performing live at the 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, theatre, dance, poetry, comedy, puppetry, film, spoken word, visual arts, and family-friendly performances.
The genres engaged as part of the CollaboNation and main stages range from Afro-soul, folk, fusion, hip-hop, gospel and others — all celebrating unity and diversity.
Artists can apply for a chance to showcase their art on one of MTN Bushfire’s five official stages, each offering a unique platform for multidisciplinary expression: the Main Stage, the immersive House On Fire Amphitheatre, the intimate Firefly Stage, the family-friendly Amphitheatre KidZone, and the Bring Your Fire Zone — home to the festival’s arts advocacy and engagement programmes.
As an authentically African event grounded in social impact, MTN Bushfire’s line-up stands out every year for its eclectic style and inclusivity. In keeping with the festival’s well-established creative and giving philosophy, the Bring Your Fire Call to action for positive social change remains at the heart of the event’s mission.
MTN Bushfire looks for artists of the highest calibre who embody the festival’s mission to celebrate diversity in different forms of creative expression and champion social responsibility.
The festival welcomes artists who do more than simply entertain, but who share their art in ways that inspire audiences and spark acts of advocacy.
Applicants for MTN Bushfire and CollaboNation 2026 will be required to complete an application form available online at the official MTN Bushfire website, www.bush-fire.com. Artist applications close on November 7, 2025.
2023: Chisimo by Mokoomba (Zimbabwe) & Morena Leraba (Lesotho)
2024: Sek’sedvute by Thobile Makhoyane (Eswatini) & The Dzuwa (Mozambique)
2025: Mama by Stewart Sukuma (Mozambique) & Bholoja (Eswatini)
2025: Elukhuleni by Madala Kunene and Sibusile Xaba (South Africa) & Tlale Makhene (Eswatini).
Discussion about this post