“Art in Action. Future in the Making.”
The EU Bushfire Schools Festival returns in 2026 with a renewed focus on creativity as a catalyst for personal growth, skills development and future opportunity. Under the theme “Art in Action. Future in the Making.” the festival invites young people across Eswatini to actively engage with the arts as a tool for shaping their own futures and contributing to the country’s cultural and economic development.
Secondary schools, high schools and out-of-school arts and youth clubs across Eswatini are invited to apply for the opportunity to participate in this 1-day event of creative action, arts showcases and empowerment.
The 15th EU Bushfire Schools Festival will take place on Thursday, 28 May 2026 at House On Fire in Malkerns. Applications are now officially open until the closing date on 9 March, 2026.
Launched in 2010 to address gaps in arts education within Eswatini’s public schools, the Schools Festival has, over the past 15 years, become a vital platform for creative expression, dialogue and learning. Curated in partnership with the European Union, the festival provides young people and educators with access to performances, exhibitions, workshops and mentorship aimed at connecting creative practice to real-world skills and opportunities.
Since inception, over 10,800 learners and over 640 teachers have participated to date.
Each year, the EU Bushfire Schools Festival adopts a unifying theme that encourages young people to explore contemporary issues through creative practice. For 2026, Art in Action. Future in the Making. highlights the immediate power of creativity to spark engagement and build confidence, while emphasising the long-term value of creative skills in opening pathways to employment, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning.
Through creative practice, young people strengthen problem-solving, collaboration, communication and resilience. The festival creates space for experimentation, learning through trial and error, and taking ownership of ideas. These skills are all essential in building successful careers across fields such as design, media, education, technology and cultural entrepreneurship. By connecting youth with creative practitioners and industry professionals, the festival supports informed decision-making about education and career pathways.
Strengthening the Creative Economy
In line with the 2026 theme, the EU Bushfire Schools Festival continues to play a vital role in strengthening Eswatini’s creative economy. By positioning creativity not only as a form of expression but also as a practical, transferable skillset, the festival nurtures a generation of young emaSwati who recognise the arts as viable careers and tools that enrich other sectors of the economy.
Career opportunities in the creative and cultural industries will be integrated throughout the Schools Festival programme through performances, exhibitions, interactive workshops and engagements with working creative professionals. These experiences expose participants to professional career prospects while building confidence, initiative and self-belief. All of these are key competencies for both employment and entrepreneurship.
2026 EU Bushfire Schools Festival Open Day
Designed as an arts-led, performance-based programme, this 1-day event advances the European Union’s mandate on youth employability by positioning creativity as a pathway to skills development, sustainable livelihoods, and inclusive participation in the creative economy.
Approximately 40 learning institutions and youth organisations from across Eswatini’s four regions will be selected through the ongoing open application process, with emphasis on geographic, socio-economic, and ability diversity. Around 600 young people, including vulnerable youth, will participate in a full day of artistic engagement, learning, and inspiration. To ensure equitable access, transportation and meals will be provided to participating groups.
Participants will engage in a dynamic programme of youth-led performances, exhibitions, and workshops, complemented by selected professional contributions. A teachers’ workshop will extend the festival’s impact by strengthening educators’ capacity to integrate creative methodologies into classroom practice.
By empowering young people to put art into action today, the EU Bushfire Schools Festival supports a future in the making – one shaped by confident, skilled and socially engaged youth who recognise their role in Eswatini’s cultural, social and economic development.
