MTN Bushfire has opened applications for artists seeking to perform at its milestone 20th edition, inviting established creative talent from Eswatini, across Africa and around the world to showcase their work at one of the continent’s leading multicultural gatherings.
The festival, scheduled for May 28–30, 2027, at House On Fire in the scenic Malkerns Valley, is calling on artists whose work reflects its distinctive blend of creativity, cultural diversity and social consciousness.
According to a press statement forwarded to this publication, applications opened on October 27 and will close on November 27 Interested artists can submit their applications through the artists’ page on the official MTN Bushfire website.
The call comes as the festival prepares to celebrate two decades of bringing people together through music, performance and artistic expression, reinforcing its position as a platform for creative freedom, inclusivity and positive social and environmental change.
MTN Bushfire has established an identity that extends beyond conventional entertainment, presenting a multidisciplinary programme that uses the arts to inspire dialogue, celebrate diversity and encourage meaningful change.
Central to this approach is the festival’s “Bring Your Fire” philosophy, which calls on artists and audiences to contribute to positive social and environmental transformation. Through its programming, the festival seeks to highlight the ability of creative expression to connect communities, challenge perspectives and promote arts advocacy.
The 2027 edition will feature performances across five official stages: the Main Stage, House On Fire Amphitheatre, Firefly, Bring Your Fire Zone and the family-friendly KidZone.
The programme encompasses live music, DJ sets, dance, theatre, poetry, roving performances, visual arts, film and other creative disciplines. This broad offering makes the festival accessible to artists working across different genres and artistic formats, providing opportunities for diverse voices to reach audiences from different cultural backgrounds.
The organisers are seeking established artists who align with the festival’s eclectic, conscious and distinctive programming identity.
Two decades of cultural exchange
The upcoming edition marks a significant milestone for the festival, which has spent 20 years building a community around artistic expression, cultural exchange and social responsibility.
MTN Bushfire attracts more than 23,000 festivalgoers from over 55 countries, transforming the Malkerns Valley into an international meeting point for music, art and cultural experiences.
For artists, the 20th edition presents an opportunity to become part of this legacy while contributing to the festival’s next chapter. The gathering provides a platform for creative talent from Eswatini and beyond to share their work with an international audience and participate in a community united by a commitment to positive change.
As it celebrates its anniversary, the festival is looking beyond its achievements over the past two decades to the new artistic voices and creative expressions that will shape its future.
MTN Bushfire’s reputation has extended beyond Eswatini, earning recognition from international media and the responsible tourism sector.
The BBC has recognised the festival as a “Top African festival”, while CNN featured it among its “7 African music festivals you really have to see”. It has also won the Most Responsible Event Award at the WTM African Responsible Tourism Awards.
These accolades reinforce the festival’s standing as a multicultural gathering that connects generations and cultures while placing arts advocacy and responsible event practices at the centre of its identity.
The 2027 edition is expected to build on this foundation, celebrating the diversity of African and international artistic expression while maintaining the values that have defined the festival throughout its history.
Applications close November 27
Artists interested in performing at the milestone edition are encouraged to visit the official MTN Bushfire website and access the artists’ page to submit their applications before the November 27 deadline.
For application updates and further festival announcements, prospective applicants can follow @mtnbushfire on Facebook, Instagram and X.
As MTN Bushfire approaches its third decade, its invitation to artists is both a celebration of its history and a call to shape its future through creativity, inclusivity and a shared commitment to positive change.
