African Creative Economy Conference in Cape Town

The continent’s most innovative minds converge on the Mother City to discuss the future of Africa’s creative industries

Anyone interested in Africa’s creative industries and looking for a platform to exchange information and innovative ideas should definitely not miss the African Creative Economy Conference from Sunday, 6 to Wednesday, 9 October 2013 at the Cape Town City Hall.

The annual event – it was first held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2011 and then in Dakar, Senegal the following year – features a line-up of speakers and panelists who will discuss the role that the creative industries have in driving the economy and addressing the continent’s development problems, especially poverty and issues of democracy and human rights.

Practitioners, government bodies, policy makers, researchers, entrepreneurs and journalists are invited to hear inspirational stories and thought-provoking theories from the diverse line-up of speakers, which features the likes of Carolina Quintana, a facilitator of partnerships in the Creative Economy Programme of the United Nations Conference Trade; Israel Kodiaga, director of programme research and development at The African Centre for International Studies in Kenya; and Ojoma Ochai, the assistant country director for the British Council in Nigeria and a member of the organisation’s regional leadership team in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Delegates will also be able to feast on the continent’s cultural delights thanks to the various music, theatre, art, food and film events taking place in venues throughout the city, including in The Fringe area, which is known as Cape Town’s innovation district.  

The African Creative Economy Conference is a project founded by the Arterial Network, the largest intercultural, continent-wide network in Africa made up of non-government organisations, creative companies, festivals and individual artists. The conglomerate has partnered with the Cape Craft and Design Institute and hopes to have the conference serve as precursor to the 2014 World Design Capital events.    

What to Expect at the African Creative Economy Conference

• Sunday, 6 October
  The conference kicks off with registration during the day and then cocktails and a keynote address in the early evening. Delegates will then be serenaded by up-and-coming African musicians at one of Creative Cape Town’s much-loved City Hall Sessions.
• Monday, 7 October
  The first day of talks will look at the broader economic context for African growth and examine and identify key players in the global economy and potential impact of mutually beneficial relationships with these leaders.
• Tuesday, 8 October
  The second day’s keynote topic is “Culture as an integral element of sustainable development”, and speakers will focus on issues that are directly related to African creative and cultural industries.
• Wednesday, 9 October
  The final day of talks will be devoted to finding practical ways to implement the solutions defined and discussed during the conference and to outlining the next steps in developing the continent’s creative sector.  Afterwards, delegates get to celebrate and let loose at the closing party.

Register for the African Creative Economy Conference

Registration for the conference can be done online at Acec2013.org.za and it costs R2 239p/p for delegates from Africa; R3 278p/p if you are from Central America, South America or Asia and R6 000p/p for delegates from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.

The fee includes a conference pack, access to all sessions, two drink vouchers and snacks at the opening gala event, tea, coffee, snacks and lunch on all conference days, free wireless and a welcome drink at the closing party.

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