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0 NewsGhana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Roger A. Agana, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/africa-rising-music-conference-seals-global-creative-ties/The Africa Rising Music Conference (ARMC) wrapped up its 2026 edition in Johannesburg over the weekend, drawing more than 1,000 delegates from over 15 countries and closing with the formal launch of a Germany-South Africa artist mentorship programme and landmark discussions on artificial intelligence in the music industry.
Held over two days at Constitution Hill, the sixth edition of the female-led conference brought together artists, executives, policymakers, entrepreneurs and institutional representatives from the German Embassy Pretoria, the Australian High Commission Pretoria and the Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria, among others.
The most consequential formal announcement was the launch of the Music Mentorship Program for South African Artists, developed through a three-way partnership between the German Embassy Pretoria, ARMC and Berlin-based music company Paradise Worldwide. Five selected South African artists will receive professional mastering support, release strategy guidance, one-on-one mentorship paired with established German music industry professionals, artwork design, press photography and visual content production. Applications are now open.
Australia served as the official international focus country of this year’s edition, a designation that produced one of the conference’s most memorable moments. Australian First Nations rapper DOBBY, brought to the event by music company Alchemy Music as part of the first Australian delegation to attend ARMC, invited emerging South African rappers onto the stage during a networking reception for an unscripted freestyle session that drew strong reactions from delegates and underscored the conference’s emphasis on authentic cross-cultural exchange.
The conference also hosted the Berlin AI Think Tank in Africa, which convened local and international stakeholders to address artificial intelligence, creator consent, licensing, attribution and fair remuneration across the music landscape. Organisations participating in the sessions included the South African Music Performance Rights Association (SAMPRA), the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO), the Association for Electronic Music (AFEM) and technology research institute Fraunhofer IDMT.
South African artist Rouge, who performed at this edition after facilitating a workshop at the previous conference, spoke to what the platform represents for African creatives.
“ARMC is more than just a conference, it’s a growing movement,” she said.
NewsGhana, Latest Updates and Breaking News of Ghana, Roger A. Agana, https://www.newsghana.com.gh/africa-rising-music-conference-seals-global-creative-ties/
