SOKO – Marché des arts de la scène à Ouagadougou is a platform dedicated to professional meetings for West African artists, integrated into the SOKO Festival and Yaar Music. Launched by the DAMBE Association in Burkina Faso, this annual event promotes music and performing arts since 2015. Its 11th edition will be held on January 16 and 17, 2026, as part of the festival from January 15 to 17.
Origins
The DAMBE Association initiated the SOKO Festival in 2015 in Ouagadougou to promote Burkinabe and West African artists, in the face of a lack of promotion and pan-African dissemination. Yaar Music, the performing arts market, has become a key pillar, aiming to create an international sales and meeting platform for professionals and emerging. Initially supported by institutions such as the Goethe-Institut and the Institut Français, it responds to a need for musical networking in West Africa.
Evolution
Since its first edition, SOKO has grown to celebrate its 10th edition in January 2025, bringing together each year about twenty artists from countries such as Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Burkina Faso. Yaar Music has established itself as an international market dedicated to exchanges and common strategies, with performances at the Goethe-Institut and CENASA. The event persists despite the security challenges in Burkina Faso, asserting its essential annual role.
11th edition 2026
Scheduled from January 15 to 17, 2026 in Ouagadougou, the 11th edition focuses on Yaar Music on January 16 and 17 as a platform for encounters for West African artists. Theme: «Create, Resist, Transmit», it includes showcases, calls for applications and recently revealed artistic programming. It aims to strengthen the visibility of regional stage creations through partnerships with festivals such as the FIMU.
Impacts
SOKO and Yaar Music boost the promotion of emerging artists, promoting export and development of African music through pan-African professional networks. The event creates opportunities for broadcasting without segregation, connecting Burkinabe talent to an international audience and laying the foundation for a structured West African music sector. Initiatives such as this one are praised for their contribution to cultural vitality despite unstable contexts.
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