Tunisia is set to host the 11th Carthage Music Festival from October 3-10, 2026. This year's festival aims to expand its scope and transform into a professional platform that connects emerging artists with industry professionals from Tunisia and worldwide. The festival will feature 26 selected projects out of 378 submissions, alongside 8 proposed concerts. Artists and groups from 15 countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Egypt, Senegal, Chad, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and Brazil, will participate in the event.
The festival's artistic director and head of the organizing committee, Mondher Falah, outlined the new vision for the Carthage Music Festival, which focuses on supporting emerging artists and accompanying their projects. This is achieved by providing them with opportunities to meet professionals in the music industry from around the world, while also presenting their projects to the Tunisian audience. The selection committee chose 26 projects based on criteria such as artistic and technical quality, integration, and the project's ability to attract the attention of participating professionals and open up cooperation opportunities.
A notable innovation in this year's festival is the creation of a section dedicated to music in prisons, titled "The Same Beat of Freedom." This section will feature five artistic performances, starting on October 4 with a show presented by a group of female inmates at the Mahdia reform center. The performances will then move to several prisons, including the civil prison in Borj El Romi, which will host the "Dandri" show on October 5, and the civil prison in Masadine, which will host the "Jazb" show on October 6.
The festival is also expanding outside the capital, with a new section called "Carthage Music Festival in the Regions." This section will allow participating show owners to present their projects at several festivals in the regions. The selection committee will choose three shows, with each project presenting three shows within this program. Additionally, the festival will feature a intensive workshop for jazz professionals, titled "Carthage Music Festival Jazz Workshop," in partnership with the "Marseille Jazz Coalition."
The festival's program will also include six professional meetings, aiming to make the Carthage Music Festival a platform for networking and exchanging experiences between artists and music industry professionals. The event will take place in eight venues, including seven in the city of culture, and will feature a range of activities, including concerts, shows, and workshops.
The opening show, scheduled for October 3, will be a surprise performance centered around the relationship between humans and music and its impact. The closing show, on October 10, will feature Syrian artist Faya Younan. The festival's program reflects a new approach, combining artistic performance, training, professional networking, and outreach to regions and prisons.
The selection committee for the festival's shows includes artist Sami Ben Said, former director of the Carthage Music Festival, artist Hadi Fahem, researcher Sima Smoud, and artist Mohamed Ben Said. The festival aims to provide a platform for new musical projects to appear before the public and professionals alike, while promoting a more inclusive and diverse music scene.
Key points
- The 11th Carthage Music Festival will feature 26 selected projects from 15 countries and 8 proposed concerts.
- The festival will expand outside the capital with a new section called "Carthage Music Festival in the Regions."
- A intensive workshop for jazz professionals will be held in partnership with the "Marseille Jazz Coalition."
