When I took on the role of SACO Executive Director five years ago, I never imagined what would transpire in the intervening years. COVID-19; the meteoric rise of AI; digitalization at scale; radical new trends; and many social, economic and cultural shifts.
We have lived, and are living through, one of the most dynamic, exciting, and difficult times in history. What does this mean for the sports, entertainment, and cultural and creative industries?
Well, this has been on my mind a lot, especially after the 2022 SACO Conference, which focused on what a reset could and should mean to the industries. But its greater than that. It’s about how we reconfigure a world that respects and embraces culture – of which sport forms a part – as both a tool for sustainability and inclusivity and the means through which we can build on sustainability values. In this, culture is underrated but incredibly powerful.
As we gear up to close the second term of the SACO project (2018-2023), and to include the analysis of the impact of sport into our mandate for SACO (2023-2028), it’s important to ground ourselves in the urgency of working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
This as the sports, and cultural and creative industries, undergoes the turmoil of dealing with perma-crisis, daily tremors and uncertainty.
Amid these changes there are significant opportunities, and we must have the courage to look forward toward a new era for humanity.
The past five years have undoubtedly been tough.
The sceptre of COVID-19 looms large over 2020-2023 and it is hard to see or think beyond its course-altering impacts. Still, within the pandemic and before and somewhat after it, there is space to re-imagine and new industry; and indeed a new world.
Of course, the major lowlight was COVID-19 and witnessing the decimation effect on the CCIs. We are still crawling out of the hole it created for many artists, creative workers, practitioners, and industry supply and value chains. But there have been some silver linings.
The five big highlights for me over this period were:
We must believe that the future is bright; and work to create that enlightened future. We have an opportunity to do so in the next five year term of the SACO project. We welcome the opportunity to do so under the leadership of the new Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr. Zizi Kodwa.
How do we plan to do so? Our process will focus on solidifying off the baseline of research we have developed over the past 10 years. Part of this journey is to:
The future remains uncertain. Advances in AI will change everything – again. But we have learned that some of the best innovations and adaptations come when disruption is on our doorstep.
The key is to be prepared. As the “StatsSA of the cultural sector”, we are in the best position to harness our cultural information system – with sport now – to advocate for the people and impact the sectors make so we can build the sustainable and inclusive future we want.
KNOWING where we come from and who we are is what culture is. The repetition of rituals, beliefs, practices, and how we share knowledge is culture in motion.
READ MOREWe need for a cultural sea change for women, if we are to advance as a society. What will it take, asks Unathi Lutshaba in an opinion piece for South African Women's Month. Cultural change and capital are the answer to this seemingly insurmountable challenge. But representation also matters. Its only now that there seems to be a shift with more women’s sport being televised, feminist films such as Barbie making box office waves, and more women voicing their concerns with the status quo.
READ MOREA new SACO contract and iteration is secured; and an update on empowering South African creative sector MSMEs to be great and showcasing it at the United Nations in New York.
READ MOREThe year 2022 has been an eventful and exciting one for the cultural and creative sector. This is particularly so given that it was a year in which the industry was allowed to function for the full year without the lock-down restrictions witnessed in the two previous years.
READ MOREGOVERNMENT strategic foresight is a powerful thing when it takes flight. Take the Mzansi Golden Economy Strategy (2011) – which gave birth to the South African Cultural Observatory (SACO), hosted by Nelson Mandela University since 2015 – for example.
The South African Creative Arts Awards will be the be most desired recognition and cultural recognition in the South African creative industry. The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture intends to hold the South African Creative Arts Awards annually.
Nelson Mandela University hosted their second annual Research Week on 11-15 September 2023 as part of their continued effort to foster engagement and partnership to contribute to the research culture within the institution.
On Mandela Day, Gelvandale High School hostel received assistance from the South African Cultural Observatory, Nelson Mandela University, and other various organizations.
The South African Cultural Observatory (SACO) took part in a discussion with the stakeholders in the Museum industry on the professionalization of heritage in South Africa. The discussion was aimed at finding ways to professionalize the work Museums do in SA. The Museum stakeholders would like their work to be qualified by SAQA so that when they enroll students, they (students) can come out with a qualification that is graded.