AFRIMAs back AU’s creative economy vision

The event, running from 25 to 27 September, gathered stakeholders, including cultural institutions and artists, to develop a framework for aligning policies and promoting arts and heritage in support of the AU’s Agenda 2063 vision.

In his presentation, AFRIMA’s director of stakeholders engagement, media and communications (global), Sola Dada, took the audience through the organisation’s activities since its inception in 2014, tailored towards promoting music, arts, and culture.

“AFRIMA has successfully collaborated with policymakers, governments, African artists, producers, record labels, promoters, publishing companies, media and the African Union Commission (AUC) to celebrate and promote African music globally,” Dada said. “Through our seven core pillars, namely Music Awards, Music Festivals, Music Business Hub, Talent Discovery and Promotion, AFRIMA Creative Academy, Advisory and Policy Debates, Corporate Social Responsibility and Advocacy, we have positioned African music as a tool for integration, inclusivity, economic prosperity, and world peace.”

Dada added: “Through our partnership with the AU and other stakeholders, AFRIMA is well-positioned to support the implementation of policies that will drive the growth of Africa’s creative economy. With a focus on integration, innovation, and cultural preservation, AFRIMA and the AU are set to make significant strides toward the Africa We Want as envisioned in Agenda 2063.”

The AU/PACC6, held under the theme, Arts, Culture, Heritage, and Education: Levers for Building the Africa We Want, served as a platform for pan-African cultural institutions, cultural workers, and experts to engage in discussions on how to leverage these sectors to build a stronger African identity.

The congress produced key resolutions to strengthen Africa’s cultural sectors, including support for national cultural policies, youth and women engagement, heritage preservation, promotion of African languages, and cultural exchange programmes for collaboration and learning among African youth.

In her opening remarks, AUC’s acting director for social development, culture and sport, Angela Martins, highlighted the rapid growth of Africa’s cultural and creative industries, referring to them as the continent’s “new crude oil” due to their increasing global economic influence. Martins called for greater investment in the sector, citing AU Assembly Decision 772, which advocates for allocating at least 1% of national budgets to arts, culture, and heritage.

As part of the AU’s efforts, she announced the development of an arts education policy aimed at integrating arts education into school curricula across member states.

Martins also praised the efforts of key institutions in the entertainment, art and cultural space, including the AFRIMAs, whose main events are usually broadcast live to over 84 countries around the world, following a continental and global roadshow.