Celebrate Africa Day through culture and music

Africa is home to more than 1.5 billion people, and each country, community and person has an incredible story to tell. Through the power of technology, artists and cultural institutions are using online platforms to share their stories and engage with new audiences.

This year, we’re hosting the Africa Day Benefit Concert in collaboration with MTV Base Africa and Idris Elba. We invite you to tune in at 7 PM CAT this evening to experience a musical homage to this amazing continent, and its next generation of pop stars making headlines across the world.

The concert is the culmination of Africa Month, which we’ve celebrated through YouTube Music and Google Arts & Culture. We’ve hosted a live performance by Sauti Sol, a talk on the Leading Women in Music, and the launch of the project Èkó for Show: Explore Lagos. Music unites Africa, and we hope the concert tonight will bring Africans and people from other parts of the world together to celebrate the continent's roots, rhythms and records.

As we celebrate Africa Day today, we invite you to explore the continent's rich cultural heritage through curated online experiences on YouTube and Google Arts & Culture. We hope Africans and people from all over the world will be inspired by these activities that bring together the continent's roots and rhythms.

Step inside Africa’s cultural institutions

There are thousands of iconic museums, galleries and cultural sites in Africa, including Kenya's African Heritage House. Virtually visit 32 cultural institutions across the continent and read over 300 expert-curated stories on art, identity, music, fashion, food and more. 

Search for your favorite African artist and click on the Art Projector feature to display their artwork in front of you. Start with paintings by Ali Omar Ermes, Ben Enwonwu, Mohammed Khadda, Nja Mahdaoui, Wangechi Mutu, William Kentridge and Wosene Worke Kosrof.

Discover more about contemporary African art and its artists by visiting Jean Pigozzi’s Pocket Gallery in augmented reality. Can you spot the paintings by artist Chéri Samba and Esther Mahlangu?

Be inspired by Africa's trailblazing women

Let the voices of women from the past and present inspire you. Meet a courageous freedom fighter, let Mama Nike ignite your creativity, learn about activist Winnie Mandela's bravery, take in the remarkable story of Queen Tiye and score a goal with a strong women's football team.

Learn about Kenyan heroes and explore the future

Step back in time with 61 Kenyan heroes and discover how they fought for their communities’ land, freedom and spiritual well-being. Take the quiz to find out who your super alter-ego would be. 

Drawing on Afrofuturism, be inspired by artists from the diaspora and Osborne Macharia to create your own Afrofuturist world. Release your inner superpowers and let your imagination be your guide.

Feel the buzz of Lagos and explore South Africa

Step inside Lagos, Nigeria's most populous city, with Èkó for Show, and let over 100 creatives inspire you. Start singing Afrobeat tunes with Reekado Banks, paint the lagoon with Victor Ehikamenor, meet the stars of Nollywood with Iké Udé and let Davido inspire your taste buds. 

Continue your journey to South Africa and feel the urban vibe with musicians Busiswa and Muzi. Let them take you on a personal city tour and learn how Durban and Johannesburg have impacted their lives.

Celebrate the power of African literature

Let poet Siphokazi Jonas' love letter to her home country inspire you, and learn more about what identity means to author Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o. Share Africa’s greatest stories by joining the #AfricaReads challenge with YouTube. Share a video of yourself reading a book by your favorite African author, or watch how people across the continent came together to read Lọlá Shónẹ́yìn's novel The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives.

Crack the hieroglyphic code

Still curious about words and languages? We challenge you to crack the hieroglyphic code from Ancient Egypt with the AI-powered tool Fabricius. You can also use emojis to create secret codes with friends.

Explore and protect Africa’s wildlife and natural wonders

Africa is home to some of the world's most extraordinary wildlife and nature. Learn more about the importance of conservation with the last male northern white rhino or join a virtual game to meet Africa's big five: lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo.

If you’re one for appreciating nature, we invite you to check out the people of Kilwa Kisiwani in Tanzania, and learn how planting mangrove trees and using technology can help save historical ruins and communities.

Turn your lens on Africa

Join Africa's photographers in capturing and sharing culture in new ways. Be inspired by legendary photojournalist James Barnor, take a look back at 10 years of LagosPhoto Festival and learn how to turn the street into a runway with Stephen Tayo.

Explore Black history beyond the continent

African culture has had a transformative impact on the world and keeps fuelling creativity in the diaspora. Join rapper Nas in paying homage to the long tradition of black musicians and storytellers who inspire us to this day. Learn more about Black history and culture in the United States, the United Kingdom or explore 50 years of black creativity through the exhibition Get Up, Stand Up Now.

Find out more on YouTube Music and with the Google Arts & Culture app on Android or iOS.