These past few months have seen some good momentum gained in providing direction to the research outputs of the South African Cultural Observatory. In the same vein, the inputs for the Research Agenda have expanded the research possibilities for the Observatory and the sector as a whole. Since our return in September 2018, we have generated a great outline of research reports, which aim to respond to pertinent issues concerning the Cultural and Creative Industries in our country. The Observatory is fully committed to the delivery and publicizing of its research outputs ensuring that the sector fully benefits from the knowledge generated.
During the 2018/19 period, SA Cultural Observatory has successfully delivered research outputs in line with the Research Agenda and Department of Arts and Culture’s priorities in record time - only six months. And we look forward to getting our teeth into the plethora of deliverables scheduled for the next financial period.
We remain optimistic that the second year will be filled with activity and opportunities for the SA Cultural Observatory to continue building its reputation as a critical generator of industry-relevant knowledge. The delivery of SA Cultural Observatory’s upcoming dissemination and capacity building workshops will continue to draw attention to the work being carried out by the Observatory. These workshops also highlight the important role played by the Department and role of the sector in the South African economy.
The momentum has peaked at SA Cultural Observatory as we expand our reach with our together with our three partner universities (UKZN, Rhodes and Forthare). A number of internal university launches were held at the start of our new contract by all our academic institutions to raise the profile of and encourage involvement from their various departments in this project. The support was overwhelming and has since led to significant expanded academic networks.
Keep on watching this exciting space!
Until then,
Unathi Lutshaba
Executive Director: South African Cultural Observatory
Over the past three months, I have had the privilege of participating in conversations across South Africa and internationally, from Geneva and London to Gqeberha and Johannesburg. Although the settings differed, one observation remained remarkably consistent: The conversation about the creative economy has changed.
Maps. Masterclasses. Measurement. Meaning. March. This quarter has been all about activating the research trove and expertise of the South African Cultural Observatory and levelling up in the dissemination of our data and insights.
