The Africa Live Entertainment Conference (ALEC), a pan-African platform examining the cultural, economic, and structural forces shaping live entertainment across the continent, will hold in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The conference will take place from March 5 to 7, 2026.

The conference will be held in partnership with the African Tourism Board (ATB), bringing together key players from both Africa’s live entertainment and tourism sectors.

ALEC is positioned as a pan-African platform examining the cultural, economic, and structural forces shaping live entertainment across the continent. It is designed for anyone working across live music, touring, festivals, venues, nightlife, sports entertainment, and the broader creative economy. Promoters, booking agents, artists, managers, venue operators, policymakers, investors, sponsors, and tourism professionals from across the continent and the diaspora are expected to attend.

Speaking on the upcoming event, founder and lead organiser of ALEC, Sasha P., said the partnership with ATB reflects a shared vision for the industry.

“Live entertainment shapes how people experience African cities and cultures,” she said. “Working with the African Tourism Board highlights the impact concerts, festivals, and cultural gatherings have- not just on tourism, but on job creation and regional collaboration. ALEC was created to give the industry a space to explore these connections more intentionally.”

The partnership also underscores the growing link between entertainment and tourism, particularly in areas like destination branding and cultural exchange. Through collaboration with ATB, ALEC aims to foster more structured conversations between industry players and tourism stakeholders across Africa.

Johannesburg was chosen as the host city for its thriving creative ecosystem, international accessibility, and track record of hosting major conferences and cultural events. As a gateway to Southern Africa, it also offers a strategic point for pan-African engagement.

Over three days, the conference will feature keynotes, panel discussions, workshops, networking sessions, and curated cultural experiences. Themes will include touring and artist mobility within Africa, venue development, ticketing and technology, sponsorship models, and the intersection of live entertainment and tourism.

According to the organisers, ALEC was born out of a need to address long-standing gaps in Africa’s live entertainment industry by creating a consistent platform for collaboration and industry alignment.

More details on the programme and participating organisations will be shared in the coming weeks.