Two young creatives from Alexandra will head to Norway next month as part of the first-ever SA-NOR festival exchange programme, NORSAK, an initiative designed to equip emerging music industry professionals with practical experience in event production and sound engineering. Organised by Johannesburg-based AURI Foundation in partnership with Norwegian cultural organisation Kulturkontoret, the four-week exchange will see fellows Thato Lehlohonolo Mashigo and Itumeleng Fortune Mdluli work behind the scenes at Tysnesfest and Utkant Festival, learning every stage of festival production from setup to teardown.
Launched during Youth Month, the programme aims to increase diversity within the music and entertainment industry by creating international opportunities for young people, women and creatives from disadvantaged communities. Throughout the exchange, Mashigo and Mdluli will document their first trip outside South Africa on social media, sharing both the technical skills they acquire and their personal journeys, while demonstrating how international collaboration can create meaningful pathways into the creative economy.
Founded in 2026, AURI Foundation is a Johannesburg-based non-profit that supports emerging musicians, sound engineers and event organisers through fellowships, technical training, mentorship and creative entrepreneurship. By combining skills development with access to professional equipment, creative spaces and industry networks, the organisation hopes to build sustainable careers for young South African creatives, with the NORSAK exchange marking its first international programme
