Call for applications: Goethe-Institut Namibia CEP programme

The programme is aimed at creating economic growth in the creative industries. It will focus on performing arts (live music, theatre and dance), design and production (fashion, graphic, and interior) and visual arts (paintings, photography, sculptures etc.). Groups of not more than two persons are also encouraged to apply. A single registration of one business plan per team will be accepted.

The programme seeks to encourage and inspire creative entrepreneurs in Namibia to:

• Identify lucrative business opportunities.
• Develop their business ideas.
• Implement a business plan.

Applicants should expect the following from the programme:

• Orientation.
• Workshops.
• Co-working.
• Coaching and mentoring.
• Peer to peer learning.
• Local and international exposure.

Application process

Interested applicants can submit their applications here.

The application deadline is 11 May. Shortlisted and successful candidates will be notified on 13 May and 26 May respectively. Orientation days for the chosen participants will take place on 3 and 4 June.

The following activities will be covered by the CEP programme:

• Business training, mentoring and networking sessions covering the areas of business development, entrepreneurial self-understanding, design thinking, marketing and customer research and personas, branding, sales, establishing partnerships, legal issues and insurances, finance management, health and pitching.
• Online and in-person workshops in the said aspects of a creative business.
• Mentoring programme: Expert advice delivered by persons with local and international experience in the relevant industries. The use of technology to get Namibian entrepreneurs in touch with persons abroad will be applied.
• Peer-to-peer development: Goethe-Institut will invite identified entrepreneurs together with a business coach to provide them access to critical thinking and advice on the development of their creative business ideas. Emphasis is on peer-to-peer communication.
• Success and failure: Established entrepreneurs in Namibia will hold regular meetings to present and discuss the best practices to achieve the desired outcomes. These will be geared towards inspiration and motivation. A few failures will also be presented and discussed for the entrepreneurs to understand how the business ideas have failed. 

“As we know, the creative industry has been identified as one with great potential to create employment, but very often creatives cannot sustain themselves with their products or services alone and this has become even harder with the global pandemic,” Goethe-Institut said. “CEP 2021 will therefore take the approach of providing relevant components to help these businesses grow.”

View the original call here.