Johannesburg’s most anticipated creative festival, Constitution Hill’s Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival, is back! This year, the festival does a double-take with exciting new program partners for the commemoration of Youth Month. Celebrating it’s 14th anniversary from the 24 – 27 June – The Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival, is a legacy signature event and memorial to honour the youth who fought for freedom and justice in South Africa and were lost in the June 16th youth uprising. This year’s theme is ‘Commemorating 50 years of Youth activism and Creative Freedom’, and the event has been specifically curated to speak to youth throughout June through various programs.
The Basha Uhuru Festival is an opportunity to learn and be inspired, share skills and nurture talent, network, collaborate, create and monetise whilst driving important conversations affecting the creative sector.
“Basha Uhuru is more than a festival – it is a celebration of the power, resilience and imagination of South Africa’s youth. We are thrilled to see thousands of young people gather at Constitution Hill to commemorate 50 years of youth activism and creative freedom through music, art, film, entrepreneurship and dialogue. Events like these are vital because they provide platforms for young people to express themselves, develop their talents and contribute to Gauteng’s growing creative economy. We look forward to another inspiring and impactful edition of Basha Uhuru.” Vuyiswa Ramakgopa – MEC Gauteng Economic Development, Agriculture and Rural Development
Basha Uhuru is known for its creative conference program, starting on Wednesday, the 24th of June, that precedes the Sounds Of Freedom Concert and one-day music festival that attracts music lovers, youth, change makers and the movers and shakers of Gauteng to celebrate all things creative.
The much-anticipated annual music festival hosted at Constitution Hill’s newest venue – The People’s Park opens at 10h00. Visitors are invited to spend the day supporting the performances of emerging artists; exploring the Creative Youth Expo; engaging with the designers of locally made fashion and goods at the Curated Market; visiting the museum exhibits and resonating with our liberation heritage through creative culture.
The Basha Uhuru Legacy Award was created to recognise and celebrate South Africa’s artists who, over the years, have driven creative freedom through their music and are heralded as our music icons whose music is timeless in both our heritage and culture. Previous winners include Mandla Spikiri, Thebe, Alaska and the 2025 awardees Boom Shaka. Don’t miss Mzanzi’s star-studded talent and catch Nasty C, Zee Nxumalo, DJ Tira, Bucie, DJ Cleo, Skwatta Kamp, Lia Butler, OSMIC, HitBossSA, Atmos Blaq and Maline Aura, Lochive and upcoming local talent to the main stage. GET TICKETS HERE