Country: Canada
SunFest
Native to Guatemala and living in Canada since the second half of the 1980s, Alfredo is the founder of the Sunfest Festival, one of the largest in North America.
Country: United Kingdom
Real World Records
Working in the music industry for 25 years, Amanda is part of the founding organisation of the WOMAD festival, created Real World Records with more than 200 titles under her belt and manages the career of none other than the legendary Peter Gabriel.
Country: France
Zone Franche
Beatrice Akakpo has been working in musical projects for the last ten years between France and West Africa, with particular emphasis in general coordination and issues regarding audience.
Country: Slovenia
Ljubljana Jazz Festival
Slovenian Bogdan Benigar, a law graduate, a board member of the European Forum of World Music and currently a member of the Europe Jazz Network.
Country: South Africa
Bassline
Brad Holmes founded Bassline in 1994, originally a small, live music venue in the bohemian suburb of Melville. It rose to prominence as the ultimate live music venue to experience South Africa finest Jazz and Afro-beat, branching out by featuring poetry readings, comedy and impromptu jam sessions.
Country: Morocco
Music for Visa / Timitar Festival
The Moroccan Brahim is artistic director of the Timitar Festival, which has the function of showing the world culture to his native country. Brahim is part of the jury of the World Music Forum and has organised the African Music Meeting in the Middle East.
Country: Portugal
MIMO
Carlos Bartilotti is the director of the Portuguese edition of MIMO Festival. He is also the ambassador of the Sur Le Niger festival in Mali.
Country: Portugal
FMM Sines
Carlos Seixas is Portuguese and works as a producer and director of FMM Sines Festival, besides helping and organising other festivals in Portugal.
Country: South Africa
Afrima
Chris Syren began as a musician in Cape Town in the 1980s as an official member of one of the country biggest jazz bands. He is currently a jury member of AFRIMA, which he has been working on since 2014.
Country: Germany
WOMEX & Piranha Arts
Christine has worked closely with major institutions, such as UNESCO, and is today the curator of WOMEX, along with Piranha Arts.
Country: Germany
WOMEX & Piranha Arts
Christoph is president of Piranha Arts, which was born in Berlin in the 80s. He created the WOMEX platform and continues his work as producer of music and technology.
Country: Sarajevo
Sarajevo Jazz Fest
He is the founder of Jazz Fest Sarajevo, international music festival that in past 20 years presented some of the globally most important artists in Sarajevo.
Country: Portugal
Ao Sul do Mundo
Since 2013 she is a business partner at Ao Sul do Mundo, working as a booking agent, manager, producer and promoter. She is also stage manager for Festival Musicas do Mundo de Sines and booking agent for numerous Portuguese artists.
Country: Portugal
Casa da Musica Foundation
Post graduate in international trade and promoter since 1997, Fernando collects productions of cultural events in his career. Today he is responsible for the programming of the Casa da Musica Foundation.
Country: The Netherlands
North Sea Jazz Festival
Born in the Netherlands, Frank is co-founder of Black and Tan Records, was the organizer of the Slagwerk Festival and is currently active in the direction of the North Sea Jazz Festival.
Country: Chile
WOMAD Santiago de Chile
The Chilean Giorgio Varas is a musician and cultural agent of international productions. He has worked in Italy and is now director of WOMAD, as well as having a degree in economic culture.
Country: Norway
Forde Festival
Founder of the Forde Festival, the largest festival in Scandinavia, Hilde is also the president of the association responsible for major festivals in Norway.
Country: Australia
Akum Agency
Originally from Australia, Jess worked with the Australasian Worldwide Music Expo (from 2010-2015) in Melbourne on artist programming, conference programming and marketing the expo - the Southern Hemisphere premier music industry conference and showcase event for roots and world music - before relocating to Southern Africa.
Country: Swaziland
Bushfire
Thorne is a poet, artist, art director, creator of House on Fire and director of the Bushfire International Arts Festival, as well as founding IGODA, a major music circuit in South Africa.
Country: Mozambique
Maningue Productions & Ekaya Productions
Pianist, composer and music producer, Joni graduated in popular music from UNICAMP in Brazil. Founder of Ekaya Productions and a founding member of Maningue Producoes, he is also the creator of the Mozambique Music Meeting.
Country: Cape Verde
Kriol Jazz Festival
A great name for Cape Verdean music, Jose da Silva is also responsible for releasing well known names, such as Cesaria Evora, a great singer known internationally.
Country: Mexico
Ollin Kan
Cultural promoter Jose Luis is responsible for the creation of Ollin Kan, one of the biggest festivals in the world, which began in Mexico in 2004 and continues to visit countries around the world.
Country: United Kingdom
Nandos
Worked at Nandos for 10 years. Previously Head of PR Nandos U.K.
Country: Mozambique
Litho Stage Design
Degree in Management and Cultural Studies. Cultural promoter and stage designer based in Mozambique.
Country: Brasil
MIMO Brasil
Brazilian producer linked directly to culture and music, such as MIMO, one of the biggest festivals in the country, that today tours through Europe and has in its line up artists from all over the world.
Country: Mozambique
Maningue Productions
The Portuguese Luis Moreira has been a trumpet player since a very early age and graduated from the Lisbon Conservatory. His solo career produced 3 studio albums. Luis is one of the founders of Maningue Producoes and the Mozambican Music Meeting.
Country: Portugal
Ao Sul do Mundo
Luis Viegas has been working as a cultural producer and agent for almost twenty years. In 2002, he co-founded Smog, a production and management company with a roster that included Emir Kusturica and No Smoking Orchestra, Yann Tiersen, Hugh Laurie and The Copper Bottom Band, Blur, to name a few.
Country: Brasil
MC Producoes
The Brazilian, Monica Cossas has a direct influence on MC Producoes, where she organises and coordinates many of the country major artistic works.
Country: Macedonia
Skopje Jazz Festival
A native of Macedonia, an experienced journalist and the creator of cultural institutions such as Skopje Jazz Festival, he actively participates in the creation of numerous festivals and events.
Country: Belgium
Sfinks Festival
Artistic director Patrick de Groote works in Belgium with the organisation of global networks of festivals, such as Sfinks.
Country: USA
City Parks Foundation
Brazilian and living in New York since the age of 7, Paula is one of the directors of the City Parks Foundation, responsible for curating a range of musical and educational programs, part of major American festivals.
Country: South Africa
Joy of Jazz
Peter Tladi has coordinated important events in favour of electoral education in the 1990s and founded festivals such as Jazz by The River and Jazz in the Park, based in Pretoria.
Country: South Africa
Cape Town Jazz Festival
In the mid 1990s Rashid became station manager at Fine Music Radio, and then programming manager at P4 Smooth Jazz Radio. In 1998 Lombard approached the director of the North Sea Jazz Festival to stage a local festival in Cape Town. This was the start of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
Country: Mozambique
Nucleo De Arte
Rui is a cultural and events promoter and consultant based in Mozambique.
Country: Tanzania
Marahaba Swahili Music Festival
Festival organiser in Dar es Salaam of the Marahaba Swahili Music Festival.
Country: United Kingdom
Songlines Magazine
Simon Broughton is a freelance journalist and film maker based in London. He is particularly noted for his work in world music, as Editor in Chief of Songlines magazine and Co-Editor of the Rough Guide to World Music (Penguin).
Country: South Africa
KZN Music Imbizo
Sphe Mbhele is the founder and project manager of the KZN Music Imbizo. KZN Music Imbizo is a fast growing international music business conference and exhibition, hosted annually in Durban, South Africa.
Country: France
Idol
Thibaut Mullings is the head of African markets for French independent digital distributor IDOL. With headquarters in Paris, IDOL also has offices in Johannesburg, London and New York.
Country: Spain
Nordesia Producciones
Cultural management professional and promoter based in Spain. Founder of Nordesia Producciones, he develops work in international music markets and music exchange.
Country: Zanzibar
Sauti Sa Busara
Festivals invigorate young people interest in local culture, present opportunities for artists and music professionals to meet and learn from each other, keep traditions alive, create employment for local people and promote responsible tourism that honors and respects local culture.
© MMM Festival 2017
