The Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO) has announced ten recipients of its second Corporate Social Investment (CSI) funding cycle for 2026/27, supporting initiatives focused on music education, skills development, entrepreneurship and community empowerment across South Africa. The programme highlights the importance of investing in the knowledge, resources and opportunities that help build a sustainable music industry.
Building a stronger music industry requires more than creating opportunities for established artists. It also means investing in emerging talent, developing industry knowledge and ensuring that music creators have access to the resources needed to build sustainable careers.
Recognising this need, the Composers, Authors and Publishers Association (CAPASSO) has announced ten projects selected for its second Corporate Social Investment (CSI) funding cycle for 2026/27.
Announced on 7 October 2026, the programme will support initiatives reaching music creators across Gauteng, Western Cape, Limpopo, Free State and KwaZulu-Natal.
With a focus on education, events, women in music and community-benefiting projects, the funding initiative aims to expand access to industry knowledge, strengthen creative skills and support economic opportunities within South Africa’s music ecosystem.
Supporting Music Education and Industry Development
The ten selected projects reflect a range of approaches to developing South Africa’s music industry, from practical music business workshops and masterclasses to concerts, touring initiatives and rights education.
The 2026/27 recipients are:
- Bheki Mlambo: Delight Productions Music Business Workshop
- Busisiwe Nkomo: Faithful With Bucie – The Concert x CAPASSO (DMPA Client)
- Lwandile Nkanyuza: Someone’s Gotta Do It (SGDI) Masterclass
- Minenhle Ngcobo: Music Masterclass (DMPA Client)
- Nozipho Ndunakazi: UMCULO – The Music Pro Workshop
- Nqubeko Mbatha: The United Tour – Gospel Concert
- Phontso Moono: Areyeng Gae Music Skills Development Workshop
- Sandiso Mbulelo: Rights and Rhymes Workshop
Tebogo Rameetse: Rooted – Music Rights & Creative Business Intensive Workshop
- Thabo Malefane: Sync Money Academy: Empowering SA Music Creators
Collectively, these projects address different aspects of the music value chain, creating opportunities for artists and industry professionals to develop their skills, access information and engage with the business of music.
The inclusion of dedicated music rights and synchronisation education initiatives is particularly significant, highlighting the growing recognition that creators need to understand the commercial and legal structures supporting their work.
Why Music Rights Education Matters
As the music industry becomes increasingly complex, understanding copyright, ownership, publishing and royalty structures is essential for creators seeking to protect and commercialise their work.
Many songwriters, composers and independent artists face challenges navigating music publishing agreements, registering their works, understanding royalty streams and identifying the organisations responsible for administering different rights.
Initiatives such as Rights and Rhymes and Rooted – Music Rights & Creative Business Intensive Workshop directly address this knowledge gap by placing music rights and creative business education at the centre of creator development.
Similarly, Sync Money Academy highlights the importance of synchronisation licensing as an additional revenue opportunity for South African music creators.
Synchronisation licensing allows music to be licensed for use in films, television productions, advertisements, digital content and other visual media. For songwriters and publishers, these opportunities can create additional income streams while introducing music to new audiences.
By supporting educational initiatives in these areas, the CSI programme contributes to a more informed creative community that is better equipped to navigate the commercial realities of the industry.
Expanding Opportunities Across South Africa
Another important aspect of CAPASSO’s latest funding cycle is its regional reach.
The ten projects will extend support to creators across five provinces, building on the organisation’s inaugural CSI funding cycle, which supported initiatives in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
This expansion reflects the importance of making music industry resources and development opportunities accessible beyond established creative centres.
For emerging artists and independent music professionals, access to workshops, industry networks and professional development can play an important role in building sustainable careers.
The programme also recognises the value of community-led initiatives, supporting projects that understand the specific needs and opportunities within their respective creative environments.
According to CAPASSO Chief Executive Officer Jotam Matariro, the organisation is looking to build on the achievements of its previous CSI partners while deepening its engagement with members and empowering more music creators across the country.
Reinvesting in the Future of South African Music
Corporate Social Investment programmes within the music industry can play an important role in addressing skills gaps, supporting emerging talent and strengthening the broader creative economy.
Beyond financial assistance, these initiatives create opportunities for collaboration between industry organisations, independent project organisers, artists and music professionals.
They also reinforce the importance of reinvesting in the communities and creative ecosystems that sustain the music industry.
As the demand for African music continues to grow internationally, developing a strong foundation of industry knowledge and professional expertise will be essential to ensuring that local creators can participate meaningfully in the opportunities available to them.
At Downtown Music Publishing Africa, a Virgin Music Group company, we recognise that building a sustainable music ecosystem requires continued investment in creators, industry education and the protection of intellectual property.
As a full-service music rights management company, DMPA provides publishing administration, sync licensing, neighbouring rights, royalty accounting, legal services and creative support for African music creators.
Initiatives such as CAPASSO’s CSI programme demonstrate the value of collective industry investment in building a more knowledgeable, connected and commercially sustainable music sector.
A stronger music industry starts with empowered creators. Investing in their knowledge, skills and opportunities today helps build a more sustainable future for South African music.
