OUR STORY

About Voices

Voices began in 2020 in a living room in Pretoria, a few friends, a couple of speakers, and a simple idea: to create a space where live music could be experienced up close and honestly. What started as an intimate gathering in Ben’s living room (thanks, Ben!) soon grew into something much larger, a community-driven platform for local arts and culture.

From backyards and gardens to communes and curated venues, Voices has always been about creating spaces where artists feel valued and audiences feel connected. As the vision expanded, so did the collaboration. By partnering with friends and creatives, we improved the quality of each event, better production, better service, and ultimately a better experience for both artists and attendees.

In 2021, Voices officially became a registered business. From there, we hosted weekly open mics for nearly two years, consistent, grassroots gatherings where musicians, poets, spoken word artists, and creatives of all kinds could test ideas, build confidence, and grow their craft. Alongside the open mics, we launched larger showcase events under the name Outside Voices, hosted roughly twice a year, celebrating a broader spectrum of talent and offering artists more visibility.

Over the years, Voices has taken place in living rooms, communal homes, private residences, and established venues, each location adding its own character and story. But the heart has always remained the same: developing talent and giving artists a real platform within the local community.

From the beginning, we have believed that artists deserve compensation. Even when resources were limited, we made every effort to share profits, provide small payments, and offer value through photography, videography, and portfolio content. Voices has never been just about performance, it’s about diversity, development, and documentation of creative work.

While live music has been central, Voices has always embraced a multidisciplinary approach. Poetry, spoken word, visual art, illustration, painting, photography, and even DJ sets have all found a home within our events. Our goal has always been to present an authentic snapshot of local arts and culture, diverse, collaborative, and alive.

There was a season where personal and financial pressures tested the sustainability of Voices. As a largely self-funded initiative, we had to confront the realities of sustaining the arts without broader support. But what could have been an ending became a turning point, a reminder that Voices was never meant to be carried alone. The vision endured, and it continues to grow stronger through community.

Looking ahead, our goal is scaling and sustainability. We have grown Voices into a community-supported platform, one where artists, audiences, businesses, and organisations collaborate to keep the arts alive. We believe that creative spaces don’t survive alone; they survive together.

Voices started with a few friends wanting to listen to live music. It grew into a platform. And now, it’s becoming a shared movement.

The future of Voices is collaborative, inclusive, and bigger than any one of us.