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Authentic Voices First
We Speak Eleven is not a platform for celebrity, competition, or commercial dominance.
This festival intentionally prioritizes authentic cultural expression over fame or market reach. We are seeking artists whose music carries heritage — whether that expression is traditional, contemporary, experimental, or quietly personal.
You do not need to be signed, known, professionally produced, or represented by an agency.
If your music comes from your culture, your language, your family, or your lived experience — you belong here.
Who We Welcome
Artist submissions are welcomed from across South Africa, including:
- Traditional musicians and singers
- Cultural choirs and vocal groups
- Contemporary artists rooted in heritage
- Garage bands, bedroom producers, and kitchen singers
- Youth groups and community ensembles
- Independent artists working outside the mainstream
Professional studios, polished branding, or commercial success are not required.
Authenticity is.
We Speak Eleven Prioritizes:
To protect fairness and cultural balance, We Speak Eleven prioritizes:
- Cultural integrity and sincerity
- Connection to language, heritage, or community
- Respect for tradition and lived identity
- Willingness to participate within a shared, non-commercial cultural space
We Speak Eleven is about representation, not competition.
A Shared Cultural Stage
Artists at We Speak Eleven do not perform in isolation.
Music is experienced as part of a broader cultural story — alongside language, food, history, storytelling, and lived tradition.
Performances take place:
- Within Cultural Villages as living cultural expression
- On the Main Stage as shared national moments
- In collaborative settings that reflect unity rather than competition
Every voice matters.
Every culture is given equal space.
No artist is elevated above another.
The stage belongs to the people — not to brands, rankings, or commercial status.
Important Note
We Speak Eleven is a non-profit, public-first cultural initiative.
Artist participation is voluntary and driven by cultural contribution rather than commercial performance.
Artist Participation Terms (Important Notice)
We Speak Eleven is a cultural heritage initiative, not a commercial music event.
Participation by artists and performers is based on voluntary cultural contribution, with the primary purpose of cultural representation, preservation, and shared national experience.
Artist Intellectual Property Clause
Artists confirm that:
- They are the rightful owners or authorized representatives of the material they perform
- They retain full copyright and moral rights to all original works
Participation grants We Speak Eleven a non-exclusive, royalty-free, limited license to:
- Photograph and film performances
- Use excerpts for festival documentation, reporting, and promotion
- Archive material for historical and educational purposes
This license does not permit:
- Sale or licensing of recordings
- Commercial exploitation of performances
- Use outside the context of We Speak Eleven without additional consent
Standard news, documentary, or broadcast coverage by accredited media remains subject to festival media protocols and does not transfer ownership or commercial rights.
Please note the following participation conditions:
Please note the following conditions:
- Artists do not receive performance fees
- Artists are responsible for their own travel, accommodation, and personal expenses
- Performances are unpaid to ensure equal representation and cultural integrity
- Selection is based on heritage expression and authenticity, not popularity or commercial status
- Participation does not create any employment or contractual relationship with We Speak Eleven or its partners
We Speak Eleven provides:
- A professionally managed national cultural platform
- Equal performance opportunity across cultural groups
- Technical stage support (where applicable)
- Cultural visibility and public recognition
No exclusivity, recording rights transfer, or ownership claims are imposed on artists.
Artists retain full ownership of their music, performances, and cultural material.
Participation is by choice, in the spirit of cultural contribution, community representation, and national unity.
Submission of an artist application or demo constitutes acknowledgement and acceptance of these conditions.
Performance Structure
Artists participate within a structured, non-competitive performance framework designed to ensure fairness, cultural integrity, and shared visibility.
- Artists perform primarily within their allocated Cultural Village
- Artists may also perform on the Main Stage during:
- Their Cultural Village’s scheduled main-stage presentation
- Collective or combined performances (including opening and closing ceremonies)
- Additional shared performances may take place as curated festival moments
- Performances are voluntary and non-competitive
- Artists participate as cultural contributors, not contracted entertainers
This structure ensures equal opportunity, prevents commercial dominance, and maintains the festival’s public-interest mandate.
Respect, Safety & Integrity
All participating artists agree to uphold the festival’s principles of:
- Cultural respect
- Non-political expression
- Zero tolerance for hate speech or incitement
- Safe, inclusive participation for all audiences
Full participation guidelines are outlined in the Governance & Anti-Corruption Charter.
How to Apply
Artists wishing to participate are asked to submit:
- A short artist biography
- Who you are
- Your cultural background
- How your music connects to your heritage
- A demo or performance sample
- A studio recording, live recording, or rehearsal is acceptable
- A private or public YouTube link is perfectly acceptable
- Phone recordings are welcome if they clearly represent your sound
- Basic contact details
No formal audition process is required beyond this submission.
Selections are made based on cultural relevance, sincerity, and representation, not production quality.
Artist Submissions Form
Purpose Statement
This form is used to submit artist interest for participation in We Speak Eleven.
Submissions are reviewed for cultural authenticity, relevance, and alignment with the festival’s values.
This is not a competition and not a commercial booking process.
Community Participation
Culture Lives With the People
We Speak Eleven is not built only on stages and performances.
It is built on people — families, elders, youth, storytellers, cooks, craftspeople, teachers, and everyday community members who carry culture forward in daily life.
Community participation is central to this festival.
You do not need to be a performer to belong here.
Who Can Participate
We welcome participation from:
- Cultural elders and knowledge keepers
- Community groups and cultural organizations
- Food vendors preparing traditional dishes
- Artisans, crafters, and traditional makers
- Storytellers and oral historians
- Dance groups and youth collectives
- Educators and cultural facilitators
Participation is open to rural and urban communities, formal and informal groups alike.
How Communities Participate
Communities participate primarily through their designated Cultural Village, where they may:
- Share food traditions and preparation methods
- Demonstrate traditional crafts, dress, and daily practices
- Host storytelling, language, or history sessions
- Facilitate informal cultural exchanges with visitors
- Present non-commercial cultural displays
This structure ensures that each culture is experienced from within, not presented as a spectacle.
Fairness & Village Placement
To maintain fairness and prevent preferential positioning:
- Cultural Village placement is allocated through a neutral numbered allocation system
- No community selects or negotiates location advantage
- All villages receive equal visibility, access, and dignity
This process is governed by documented fairness procedures and oversight mechanisms outlined in the Governance & Anti-Corruption Charter.
A Shared Responsibility
All participating communities agree to uphold:
- Mutual respect between cultures
- Non-political and non-partisan participation
- Safe, inclusive behaviour for all visitors
- Honest representation of heritage and tradition
We Speak Eleven is a shared space. Its success depends on collective integrity.
Important Participation Notes
We Speak Eleven is a non-profit, public-interest cultural initiative.
Please note:
- Community participation is voluntary and based on cultural contribution
- No automatic participation fees or honorariums are provided
- Communities are responsible for their own materials, displays, food preparation, and logistics unless otherwise agreed in writing
- Participation does not create an employment or commercial relationship with We Speak Eleven or its partners
Communities retain full ownership of their cultural knowledge, practices, and expressions.
Filming, photography, and media engagement within Cultural Villages are subject to consent, Village Lead approval, and festival media protocols.
Beyond the Festival
Community participation does not end when the festival closes.
We Speak Eleven is designed as a living cultural platform, with long-term goals that include:
- Cultural education initiatives
- Archival documentation of traditions
- Inter-community exchange programs
- Future performances and regional events
Participation today helps shape how South Africa’s heritage is preserved tomorrow.
How to Take Part
Participation in We Speak Eleven is open and community-led.
What to Send
- If you would like to take part, please submit:
- A short description of who you are or your community group
- The Cultural Village you wish to participate in
- A brief outline of what you would like to share
(food, craft, storytelling, dance, language, cultural practice, etc.) - Any relevant links or images (optional)
- For musicians or performers, a demo link (YouTube, audio, or video) is sufficient.
- Professional recordings are not required.
What Happens Next
- All submissions are reviewed with fairness and cultural respect
- Participation is selected based on heritage authenticity, not popularity or commercial value
- No application fees are charged
Selected participants will be contacted directly with next steps.
Important Notes
- We Speak Eleven is non-political and non-commercial
- Cultural integrity and respectful representation are essential
- Alcohol abuse, drugs, or unsafe behavior are not permitted