MTN Bushfire 2025 Artist Applications Now Open!

Image By Bram Lammers - Thandiswa Mazwai performing at #MTNBUSHFIRE2024

30 August 2024

Artist applications for MTN Bushfire 2025 are now open!

The 18th edition of the MTN Bushfire international festival of the arts will be held from 30th May – 1st June 2025, at House On Fire in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

MTN Bushfire invites artists of the highest calibre, who embody the festival’s mission to celebrate creative expression while promoting social responsibility and inclusion. Applicants will be required to complete an application form available on the Artists page of the MTN Bushfire Website. Artist applications close on 11th October, 2024.

MTN Bushfire looks for a diversity of musical styles and genres. Rooted in Africa and packaged to the world, MTN Bushfire’s line-up has always embraced the eccentric and unearthed the eclectic. The festival’s multidisciplinary programme features a wholesome mix of Pan-African and international artists from across different genres who do more than simply entertain but also use their art as a powerful form of creative advocacy.

MTN Bushfire has 5 official stages that host a wide range of performances and showcases, including live music, DJs, dance showcases, theatre, puppetry, poetry, roving performances, art exhibitions, film, and much more. The festival stages are Main Stage, House On Fire Amphitheatre, Ballantine’s Firefly, Bring Your Fire Zone and the family friendly KidZone.

DJ Bubbles - Bring Your Fire Zone Stage

Named “Top African festival” by the BBC, hailed by CNN as one of the “7 African music festivals you really have to see” and winner of the Most Responsible Event Award at the WTM African Responsible Tourism Awards in 2017, MTN Bushfire is much more than a music festival.

With its #BRINGYOURFIRE clarion call to ignite action for positive social and environmental change, MTN Bushfire is deeply involved in a range of social and arts development initiatives.

MTN Bushfire sees over 23,000 festivalgoers during the festival weekend, with attendees from over 55 different countries making the journey to the beautiful Malkerns Valley of Eswatini for an energizing and uplifting weekend that celebrates the music and arts of Africa and beyond.

For all the hottest updates on the festival, follow @mtnbushfire on Facebook, Instagram and X, subscribe to the MTN Bushfire channel on the Ayoba app (downloadable from www.Ayoba.me) and sign up for emails on the website.