ANIMA Webinar – Creative industries as a driver for the reappropriation of African cultures
30 June 2022
Online
ANIMA is organising a webinar in the framework of the REA-Bridge Africa project on creative industries as a driver for the reappropriation of African cultures on 30 June 2022 at 9am.
While representing 3% of GDP in 2020, the cultural and creative industries in Africa have been an increasingly important sector of interest for several years. This phenomenon is particularly visible in some countries – such as South Africa, where the sector has become a priority since 1998, or Nigeria, where the Nollywood industry has experienced considerable development worldwide. Thus, we can observe on the continent some African governments commitment to invest in this sector which constitutes an economic opportunity thanks to the creation of jobs and new markets, as well as a way to enhance the value of African arts and cultures. Indeed, these industries are intrinsically conducive to social innovation, particularly because of the inclusion of certain populations, such as women or disadvantaged black people.
Moreover, the economic and social potential of this field is reinforced by the importance of soft power and culture in the international outreach. At the same time, there is a real revival of interest in African culture: whether it be history, religions, customs, shapes and colours – many actors are now choosing to promote traditional crafts and to reappropriate their codes – as shown by the rise of African fashion and the popularity of wax – but also to highlight a forgotten heritage – as with the choice to use local legends in various fields such as art or video games.
During this webinar on 30 June, we invite you, together with our speakers, to debate and consider the different ways in which the cultural and creative industries can become real means for African countries to promote and assert their diversity and identities.