Organised under the theme: “Art Effect: The Transformative Power of Artistic Expression in the Creative Economy”, the festival provided a platform for the young people to experience the magic of art and learning through performances and workshops whilst also discovering career possibilities in the creative art industry in Eswatini.

At the end of the festival, the learners composed and performed a song titled 'United in Diversity' which is the motto of the European Union. The students composed the song as part of their creative activities during the festival.

For the first time this year, teenagers from the refugee reception centre at Malindza, east of Eswatini, also participated in the festival along with students with special needs from institutions such as the school for the deaf in Siteki, also in the east.

The programme featured, amongst other things, drama, gumboot dancing, story-telling, poetry and orchestra performances.

The festival has been organised since 2010 and takes place ahead of the world-acclaimed MTN Bushfire music festival and uses the same infrastructure.

In a speech during the festival, EU Ambassador to Eswatini, Dessislava Choumelova, stated: "Art gives dreams a shape, a life. Art connects and empowers. This transformative power of art creates tangible opportunities for the youth. Arts help stimulate creativity and innovation, which are skills much valued on the labour market. This is in line with our new partnership with Eswatini which focuses on empowering the youth with skills they need to pursue employment or entrepreneurial goals.”

The Ambassador added that capacitating the youth through arts stimulates social transformation, progress and further creates platforms for co-producing cultural content.