The Africa Creative Market (ACM) has unveiled plans for its 2026 edition. As they commemorate their fifth anniversary, ACM has ambitious plans to showcase its significant influence on Africa’s vibrant creative landscape.
To celebrate this milestone, ACM is organising an impressive five-city global event! The centrepiece of this celebration will be a grand six-day gathering in Lusaka, Zambia, where attendees can expect a plethora of activities, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. In addition to the main event, ACM will host a series of smaller festivities in renowned cultural hubs: the glamorous Cannes, the dynamic Lagos, the bustling Johannesburg, and the innovative Kigali. Each of these cities brings its own unique flair, promising a rich tapestry of experiences that highlight the diversity of African creativity.
ACM aims to illuminate the immense talent African creatives possess and elevate their contributions on the global stage. By strategically hosting events in these pivotal cities, ACM seeks to place African artistry at the forefront of the international market, fostering connections and collaborations that transcend borders.
One might wonder why Lusaka was chosen as the focal point for the main event. The answer lies in the remarkable performances and artistic contributions of Zambian artists at previous ACM gatherings, particularly in Nigeria. Their outstanding contributions forged a strong partnership with Zambia’s Ministry of Youth, Sports and Arts and other key organisations within the country, paving the way for this momentous occasion.
Join in the excitement as ACM prepares to shine a spotlight on Africa’s creative potential in a celebration that promises to captivate and inspire!
Lusaka will be buzzing!
The Lusaka event will happen at the same time as Zambia’s Creative Industry Business Summit and the Kwimbo National Arts Festival. It’s like bringing together film, music, fashion, gaming, animation, and digital media all in one place. The goal? To bring in investors, government people, studios, and creators from all over Africa, Europe, North America, Asia, and the Middle East.
Kangwa Chileshe, who is in charge at Zambia’s Ministry of Youth, Sports and Arts, said that hosting ACM is a huge step for creating jobs and making Zambia’s creative sector stronger. Zambia wants to be known as a great place for making movies, visiting for its culture, and coming up with new ideas.
Inya Lawal, the person who started Africa Creative Market, said that the 2026 event is all about growing and working together across different countries. Going from Cannes to Lusaka and other important African cities shows that there’s a strong, united creative movement that’s getting noticed worldwide.
So, what can you expect at ACM 2026?
There will be a focus on different creative areas like film, animation, games, fashion, music, dance, digital media, and new technologies like AR, VR, and XR. You can join classes taught by experts, find investment opportunities, see exhibitions, make connections, and attend special parties. The idea is to help African talent meet partners from around the world.
One of the main things in Lusaka will be creative tourism and making Zambia a go-to spot for filming. The people organising the event want to show off Zambia’s beautiful scenery, culture, and film-making resources to studios looking for new places to film.
Abel Silungwe, ACM’s partner in Zambia, believes that this event will be life-changing for Zambia’s creative community. He says it will open up new doors for local storytellers and create chances for working with people from other countries.
If you want to be a part of ACM 2026, you can sign up now! With events in five cities, Africa Creative Market is becoming one of the biggest platforms in Africa for bringing together creatives, investors, and leaders in the industry with a shared global vision.
