Jacaranda Festival Managers Roundtable in Zimbabwe

Building a festival requires clear purpose – Jiggs Thorne

The Managers Roundtable invitation locally was accepted by Thorne to present on ‘Sustainable Festival Architecture, Institutional Growth, Business Model Design and Longevity in Regional Cultural Platforms’.

The roundtable provided a platform to engage festival and event managers on best practices for building robust systems, empowering people and enhancing assets and networks that allow creative events to grow sustainably and resiliently.

Reflecting on two decades of MTN Bushfire, Jiggs Thorne shared key insights on what it takes to build and maintain a successful festival over time. His presentation emphasised the importance of starting with a clear purpose before attempting to scale. He urged managers to safeguard their core identity rather than simply chasing attendee numbers, build genuine community connections over passive audiences and link individual events into a broader regional ecosystem.

Organised through the support of the British Council and the Embassy of Switzerland, the session reinforced the strong commitment to cross-border collaboration, shared learning and regional partnerships.

Through their social media pages the MTN Bushfire Festival extended their gratitude to all the brilliant minds that were in attendance for the inspiring exchanges and connection, as well as to the hosts in Zimbabwe for their warm hospitality and support.

MTN Bushfire Festival is one event that remains dedicated to supporting the growth of the creative economy across Southern Africa. Festivals serve as vital economic drivers, cultural preservation tools and social connectors within the region. By sharing experiences, addressing common logistical challenges and exploring innovative funding models, events across the continent can build lasting infrastructure.

Collaborative workshops like the Jacaranda Festival Roundtable ensure that regional cultural platforms do not merely survive, but thrive. As the industry continues to evolve, establishing strong operational frameworks, cultivating local talent and fostering strategic international partnerships will remain essential to long-term success.

The Jacaranda festival takes its name from Harare’s iconic jacaranda trees, which burst into bloom around the October period, providing a natural backdrop to the city’s spring festival season. Its central philosophy has remained closely linked to “The Music, The People, The City”, reflecting its intention to celebrate artistes, audiences and Harare itself.

Over the years, Jacaranda has featured an eclectic mix of genres, including Contemporary Zimbabwean music, Afro-fusion, Jazz, Hip-hop, Gospel, Amapiano and Afro-house, while giving emerging musicians opportunities to share stages with established performers. The festival has also incorporated music-business conferences, workshops and networking platforms aimed at strengthening the creative industry.

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