FF26 - INDUSTRY DAY || CAPE TOWN

Folklore Festival and Bridges for Music Join Forces for Cape Town Industry Day and Night Showcase

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA – Following a successful leg in Johannesburg, the Folklore Festival is proud to announce its collaboration with Bridges for Music for the Cape Town edition of the #KINFOLK Industry Day, taking place on March 25, 2026. This partnership brings together industry titans, emerging talent, and community leaders at the Bridges Academy in Langa to bridge the gap between creative passion and commercial sustainability.

The day’s programming is designed to provide artists with a pragmatic toolkit for the modern music economy, featuring masterclasses on booking, A&R, and community development.

Industry Day Speakers:

• Jess White: The founder of Akum Agency and a globally integrated expert in cross-border logistics, Jess represents a diverse roster across Africa and Australasia. He is a leading specialist in festival programming and international touring standards.

• Athie Mbilini: The A&R and Content Manager at Bridges Academy, Athie is a SAMA-winning producer who has collaborated with Busiswa and Moonchild Sanelly. He heads the recently launched BFM Records, focusing on taking Afro Tech to the global stage.

• Thulani "DJ Fosta" Headman: A founding member and Operations Manager of Bridges for Music, Fosta is a Langa-born innovator who founded 021 Records. He is a pioneer in using music as a vehicle for community transformation and social change.

• Buhle Mbongwa: A Johannesburg-based DJ and advocate, Buhle is known for her movement-inducing sets that reconcile new sounds with nostalgic hints. She is a vocal proponent for diversity and the creation of safer spaces within the South African EDM industry.

Featured Showcase Artists

• Bridges Academy Alumni: Showcasing the rising stars of Langa, these performers represent the high-tech, high-impact education provided by the Academy.

• Mfazwe Ya Mwezi: An all-female "War of the Moon" collective from Cape Town that fuses indigenous Xhosa instruments like the uHadi and Mbira with African Jazz and Folk to tell stories of liberation.

• Koolaroony: A Bridges Academy MBA graduate from Gugulethu, Koolaroony is an EDM producer and DJ specializing in AfroTech and Progressive House under her label, Indigo Star Entertainment.

Industry Night: Folk Meets Jazz at Young Blood Gallery

As the sun sets, the celebration transitions to the city center for a special Industry Night showcase in collaboration with JazzInTheCity.

The evening features Dyer-logue, an inter-generational duo performance by Steve Dyer and Bokani Dyer. This father-and-son journey traces their musical relationship from 1980s Botswana to the present, blending the marabi-based traditions of South African music with contemporary jazz influences.

Opening the night is Odwa Bongo meets Ancient Voices, a "Folk Meets Jazz" experience. Odwa Bongo is a critically acclaimed uHadi instrumentalist and vocalist who blends indigenous Xhosa traditions with modern stage performance, acting as a conduit for the unheard stories of village life.

Event Details:

• Venue: Young Blood Gallery, 72 Bree Street, Cape Town
• Time: 8:30 PM till late
• Tickets: Available via JazzInTheCity and FIXR

Join us for a day of rigorous intellectual growth and a night of transcendent musical storytelling as we celebrate our #KINFOLK community.

About Folklore Festival: The Folklore Festival is South Africa's premier celebration of African cultural heritage, storytelling traditions, and indigenous knowledge systems. Through music, literature, theatre, spoken word, poetry, film, and visual arts, the festival creates vital platforms for cultural preservation while nurturing emerging talent and fostering intergenerational dialogue.

For all festival inquiries:

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.folklorecommunity.co.za