OUR INITIATIVES

artist support & development

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is home to extraordinary musical talent across genres.

Music Beyond supports Congolese artists by creating opportunities to share their music locally and globally through concerts, album recordings, speaking engagements, and multimedia productions.

While the DRC is often portrayed internationally through the lens of conflict and hardship, this narrative overlooks the country’s strength, creativity, and resilience. Through sustained artistic and professional support, Music Beyond works with musicians to harness the power of their music to celebrate culture, affirm identity, and contribute to positive social change.

By amplifying artists’ voices across community spaces, educational institutions, diplomatic platforms, and international organizations, Music Beyond seeks to shift perceptions and challenge the stigma surrounding musicianship in the DRC—recognizing artists as leaders, ambassadors, and changemakers within their communities.

ALBUM PRODUCTION & Distribution

Music Beyond produces and distributes albums by Congolese artists whose voices promote hope, resilience, and community pride. These projects provide artists with professional recording opportunities while amplifying messages that reflect lived experience, cultural identity, and perseverance.

Albums are distributed through our dedicated platform, PlayMB, allowing the majority of proceeds to go directly to the artists. This model supports artists’ livelihoods, strengthens their economic independence, and enables them to sustain their work as cultural leaders. By investing in both artistic production and fair distribution, Music Beyond helps artists live and work with dignity—using music as a means to celebrate culture, challenge stereotypes, and contribute to positive social change within their communities and beyond.

Curriculum Building & School partnerships

Music Beyond strengthens music education by training elementary school teachers and developing practical teaching tools for classrooms where no formal national music curriculum exists.

Through its Teacher’s Guide and hands-on workshops, Music Beyond equips teachers with the skills and confidence to integrate music into everyday learning. Working with schools, NGOs, and local educators, Music Beyond supports teachers to deliver structured, age-appropriate, and culturally relevant music education. Each trained teacher reaches dozens of students annually, extending impact far beyond individual workshops.

By investing in teacher training and curriculum development, Music Beyond embeds music education into schools as a long-term tool for learning, confidence-building, and community resilience in conflict-affected settings.

Workshops

Music Beyond’s workshops equip musicians with leadership skills, professional tools, and supportive networks to navigate challenging contexts and use music as a force for unity and positive social change.

The program emphasizes purpose, responsibility, and the role of artists as community leaders in conflict-affected settings. Through mentorship and collaborative learning, participants strengthen their ability to lead workshops, teach music, and foster dialogue and cohesion within their communities.

Many graduates go on to become music teachers and cultural leaders, extending the impact of peacebuilding efforts well beyond the workshop itself.