Arts and Creative Industries / Fête de la Musique / Fête de la Musique 2026 line-up announced!

Fête de la Musique 2026 line-up announced!

Arts and Creative Industries
SHARE
THIS:
14 May

📅 Saturday, 20 June 2025

📍 Victoria Yards, Lorentzville

🕐 1PM – 7PM

🎟  FREE ENTRY 

The Fête de la Musique returns to Victoria Yards for its 15th edition on Saturday, 20 June 2025, bringing with it a vibrant celebration of musical expression, community, and cultural exchange.

True to the spirit of the original French concept launched in 1982, the Fête de la Musique is first and foremost a festival for amateur musicians – a platform for anyone who plays music to share their passion with the public. Since its arrival in Johannesburg 15 years ago, it has become one of the city’s most anticipated cultural events, known for its accessibility, diversity, and celebration of local talent.

The 2026 line-up features acts selected from more than 300 applications by a panel of international and local music experts. Headliners include Zoë Modiga, The Brother Moves On, and lordkez, alongside artists Renaissance, [kimetsu.], Zykes Madiga, Thoknique, Namakau Star, Tessi Nandi, Thula Khumalo, Measuretutti Vocal Ensemble, Little Music School in the Valley, Shameless Band, Lesedi Ntsane, and Khulu. Hector Dibakoane will MC the event at Victoria Yards.

The full programme will be announced soon.

Attendance is free, with tickets for the Johannesburg edition available through Webtickets. 3000 tickets are available for advance booking, while 1000 places will be allocated to walk-in attendees on the day of the event.

Mishy Kope and Majalamba Omhle will perform at the Alliance Française of Pretoria on Saturday, 13 June, from 3 to 6 pm, as part of the Pretoria edition of Fête de la Musique.

About Fête de la Musique

Created in France in 1982, Fête de la Musique is now celebrated in more than 100 countries. The festival encourages musicians of all levels to perform in public spaces and offers free concerts to the public.

Introduced in Johannesburg 15 years ago, the event provides a platform for emerging artists while presenting established performers across a range of musical styles. Previous editions have featured Msaki, BCUC, Samthing Soweto, Vaudou Game, Nakhane, SunEl Musician and Bongeziwe Mabandla, among others.

The 2026 edition is organised by the French Institute of South Africa and co-produced by Bassline, with the support of TotalEnergies Marketing South Africa. We are also proud to partner with RedCircle by TEDxJohannesburg, where members of the public will be invited to share their one-minute ideas on music and catch special appearances by poets and musicians.

Sustainable steps

This year, Fête de la Musique is partnering with the Keep it CKlean (KiCK) initiative to implement green measures throughout the event. Active in Joburg East since 2022, KiCK works with local communities in Wards 66 and 118 to tackle illegal dumping and littering. KiCK will assist with collecting food waste from vendors and ensuring general cleanliness in and around Victoria Yards. Waste separation bins will be provided to encourage responsible disposal of glass, plastic, and paper, helping to reduce the festival’s environmental footprint.

Jury panel

This year’s line-up was selected by a panel of distinguished jurors:

  • Violet Maila – Music in Africa (South Africa)
  • Sonya Mazumbar – Earth Sinc (India)
  • Paul Duphaney – Africa OYE (UK)
  • Mustafa Terki – Montreal (Canada)
  • Patrick De Groot – Sfinks Mixed  Festival (Belgium)
  • Aysha Waja – IFAS (South Africa)

Follow the French Institute of South Africa for updates:

Members of the media are requested to apply for accreditation to attend the event.

You might also like

Absa L’Atelier Gerard Sekoto winner Bulumko Mbete’s work exhibited in Kimberley

Experience Like the sky I’ve been too quiet, a solo exhibition by Bulumko Mbete, winner of the 2023 Absa...

Concerto à la mémoire d’un ange

Vous trouverez ICI un recueil d’activités pour l’enseignement-apprentissage du Français Langue Etrangère par la littérature. Toutes les activités ont été créés...

The National School of Government and Ecole National d’Administration renew their partnership

The French Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) and the South African National School of Government (NSG) have been working together...

Joining Forces to Save Citrus: French-South African research team explores new resources for better citrus greening detection

Developing bilateral cooperation to produce genomic resources to improve diagnosis of citrus greening CONTEXT Greening or Huanglongbing (HLB) disease...

Let's get social
This message is only visible to admins.
Problem displaying Facebook posts.
Click to show error
Error: Server configuration issue
Twitter feed is not available at the moment.
Jean Spiri, directeur de l'IFAS, s'entretient avec Georges Lory et Daphnée Breytenbach à l'occasion de leur tournée littéraire en Afrique du Sud. Pour plus d'informations sur les événements publics, veuillez consulter le site web de l'IFAS: https://frenchinstitute.org.za/arts-and-creative-industries/literature/french-south-african-literature-conversations-tour-daphnee-breytenbach-georges-lory/.
The Création Africa Top 50 is a true reflection of the depth and diversity of the cultural and creative industries! #CreationAfrica2 #FrenchInstituteSA
🎉 Meet the selected Top 50 entrepreneurs for the second edition of Création Africa, from South Africa. Lesotho and Malawi 🎉 Congratulations as they begin a seven-week mentorship journey with UVU Africa and its digital skills and innovation division CAPACITI. 👏
A conversation exploring the impact of the 2025 funding cuts for the HIV response, especially for at risk and LGBTQIA+ communities. The panel will consist of leading experts in the field, both within health research and operating directly on the ground with affected groups.
As part of the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, this film turns to Lesotho to spotlight artists and cultural practitioners involved in co-creation initiatives supported by IFAS. Shot across the Mountain Kingdom, it features voices that have helped define the Institute’s work over the past three decades. Directed by Adam Heyns.
As part of the French Institute of South Africa’s (IFAS) 30th anniversary, a visit to Malawi captured the stories of artists and cultural practitioners involved in co-creation projects supported by IFAS. From Lilongwe to Blantyre, the film brings together voices that have contributed to the Institute’s work over the past three decades. Directed by Adam Heyns.
Join us for a special talk by Justice Edwin Cameron and Sohela Surajpal, two of the authors of the new book 'Behind Prison Walls'. Their talk will bring together Michel Foucault's reflections on the systems of discipline and South Africa's experience of incarceration, offering an original analysis: how prisons, far from serving as tools of rehabilitation, become instruments of social control and the perpetuation of inequality.
Launched in 2022 under the France 2030 initiative, the ICC Immersion programme supports French entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative industries (CCI) as they expand into global markets. Implemented in South Africa by Institut français in Paris, the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), Business France, and Business France South Africa and Southern Africa, the initiative connects French companies with key players in South Africa’s dynamic creative sector. This year’s cohort featured nine innovative CCI companies—Allegria, Atrack (Beam for Music), Agence Culturelle PLUS (Reunion Island), Culturespaces, Fabrik & Moi (Reunion Island), France Muséums Développement, Jakob + MacFarlane, Memorist, and Sound Birth—representing fields from architecture and immersive technology to museum development, cultural consultancy, and music innovation. Altogether, the South African edition fostered meaningful exchange between French and South African cultural leaders, opening the door to future collaborations across the two countries.  Special thank you to the featured sites: Constitution Hill Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation Joburg Contemporary Art Foundation Spier Wine Farm, TRACE Studios Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct Wesgro Wits Digital Dome Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa ----- ICC Immersion is coordinated by the Secrétariat Général pour l'Investissement (SGPI) and driven by the Institut Français and Business France, with support from the Banque des territoires, the French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs. The 2025 edition is implemented by IFAS and Business France in Johannesburg.
To mark the 30th anniversary of the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), this documentary film brings together nearly 50 voices who have been part of IFAS’s journey over the past three decades. From its beginnings in Newtown to its current home in Braamfontein, IFAS has helped shape South Africa’s cultural and creative landscape through collaboration, exchange, and long-term partnerships. Director: Adam Heyns Producer: Lali van Zuydam Music: NØ FØRMAT! Records
For 30 years IFAS has nurtured a vibrant space for dialogue, experimentation, and creative growth. It has helped tell untold stories, amplify diverse voices, and build platforms for both emerging and established talents to shine. Now, as we mark 30 years of impact and memory, we look back at three remarkable decades of collaboration, co-creation, and cultural connection. And in the words of the legendary filmmaker Ramadan Suleman, here's to the end of Episode 1—and the beginning of many more episodes in the eclectic, ever-evolving series that is IFAS. Video Production and Editing: Adam Heyns Music: NØ FØRMAT! Records
Ahead of the 2025 Series Mania Forum taking place from 25th-27th March, IFAS invited delegates from around the world to join and gain valuable insights from our Audiovisual team and Forum organisers on what to expect and how to prepare for the three jam-packed days of pitching, networking, and high-level conferences.
Subscribe
© 2026 frenchinstitute.org.za. All rights reserved. Site design by Nicework.
View our Data Policy and Terms.