The 11th Carthage Music Days, set to take place from October 3-10, 2026, will feature a diverse lineup of artists from around the world. A total of 26 shows, selected from 378 submissions, and 8 concerts, proposed by the organizers, will be performed by artists from 15 countries, including Tunisia, Morocco, Palestine, Egypt, Senegal, Chad, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, and Brazil.
The event aims to provide a platform for emerging artists to meet professionals in the music industry and showcase their projects to a wider audience. The selection committee, chaired by Monther Falah, chose the 26 shows based on a set of criteria that includes technical and artistic quality, as well as social impact. The selected projects must also demonstrate a commitment to gender equality and social inclusion.
For the first time, the festival will feature a section dedicated to performances in prisons, titled "Rhythm of Freedom." The program includes five shows, starting with a performance by a group of female inmates at the Mahregha Center for Juvenile Rehabilitation on October 4. Other prisons hosting performances include Borj El Romi, Masdine, and Beli.
The festival will also launch a new section, "Carthage Music Days in the Regions," which will provide an opportunity for selected artists to perform at festivals in different regions of Tunisia. A committee will choose three projects to participate in these festivals, with each project performing three shows.
In collaboration with the Marseille Jazz Coalition, the festival will host an intensive jazz workshop, "Carthage Music Days Jazz Workshop," from October 5-9. Thirty professional musicians will be selected to participate in the workshop, which will be led by Tunisian and French jazz musicians.
The festival's program includes six professional meetings, in addition to the 26 selected shows and 8 concerts. The opening and closing performances will be particularly noteworthy, with the opening show promising to explore the relationship between humans and music, and the closing concert featuring Syrian artist Faya Younan.
The festival will take place in eight venues, including seven at the City of Culture, and will feature a range of artistic projects, including some from well-known artists like Essam Eddine El Abbassi, who will present a project titled "City Wheat."
Key points
- The 11th Carthage Music Days will feature 26 selected shows and 8 concerts from 15 countries.
- The festival will include a section dedicated to performances in prisons and a new section for artists to perform in different regions of Tunisia.
- The event aims to provide a platform for emerging artists to meet professionals in the music industry and showcase their projects to a wider audience.
