The creative minds behind Southern Africa’s most vibrant and celebrated cultural experiences including MTN Bushfire, the Standard Bank Luju Food and Lifestyle Festival, and the iconic House On Fire cultural venue, have officially launched a new venture: Bushfire Festivals and Events Consultancy Services.
This was announced by the two festivals’ creative director Jiggs Thorne yesterday.
This strategic consultancy will provide specialised support for festival and event organisers across the region, drawing on nearly two decades of experience in building purpose-driven and internationally recognised events.
Unlike operational agencies, Bushfire Festivals and Events Consultancy Services will focus on high-level strategic thinking helping clients to develop sustainable frameworks and meaningful impact strategies. The goal is to ensure that festivals and events are not only creative and memorable, but also rooted, relevant, resilient, and financially sustainable.
“We’ve spent almost twenty years building major festivals with long-lasting local and international appeal, and we deeply understand the unique challenges and opportunities of festival-making in Africa,” said Jiggs Thorne.
“Our work has always been about more than just the stage; it’s about integrating community upliftment, creative economy development, and environmental sustainability. We’re excited to share this hard-won experience to help other festivals and events grow with meaning and vision, while ensuring that they are also financially sustainable.”
The team’s flagship event, MTN Bushfire, is globally recognised as one of Africa’s leading festivals, earning accolades such as Top African Festival by the BBC and inclusion in CNN’s “7 African music festivals you really have to see.” It also received the Most Sustainable Event Award from the WTM World Responsible Tourism Awards, underscoring its commitment to sustainability and community impact.
Leveraging deep insights into the Southern African festival landscape, from regulatory considerations to audience behaviour, the consultancy brings a rare combination of creativity and operational understanding — strengthened by the team’s year-round cultural engagement through the House On Fire venue.
About Bushfire Festivals and Events Consultancy Services
Bushfire Festivals and Events Consultancy Services is the strategic consulting arm of the team behind Eswatini’s internationally celebrated MTN Bushfire, the Standard Bank Luju Food & Lifestyle Festival, and the House On Fire cultural venue.
The consultancy offers strategic thinking, sustainability expertise, and regional insight to help festivals and events evolve into sustainable, purpose-driven cultural experiences that resonate locally and globally.
Through the consultancy, the team will offer tailored strategic support for projects at any stage from inception to scaling up with a suite of services that include:
- Strategic Planning: Festival visioning and brand identity development
- Financial and Partnerships: Sponsorship, partnership, and revenue strategy, including ticketing models
- Programming and Impact: Developing impact-driven programming and sustainability frameworks
- Audience and Growth: Audience development and regional expansion strategies
- Operational Frameworks: Production planning, bar system models, staffing structures, and vendor management
For More Information…
If you’re looking to grow your festival with meaning, vision, and regional insight get in touch with the Bushfire Festivals & Events Consultancy Services team via email on director@bush-fire.com or marketing@bush-fire.com
