News Story

SACO Executive Director, Ms Unathi Lutshaba, was recently appointed to be a contributor and to form part of the Expert Groups leading the development of the 2nd Edition Covid-19 Country Report on the implementation of measures to manage, respond and combat the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in South Africa.

Africa’s creative economies got a shot in the arm with the recent publication of a report by London’s King’s College. The report, titled Understanding And Supporting Creative Economies In Africa presents a critical discussion on the role of creative intermediaries, focusing specifically on their contribution to the development of creative economies in Africa.

Six young South African artists were the successful winners and recipients of the Standard Bank Young Artists for 2021. The fortunate artists are Kristi-Leigh Gresse (Dance), Vuma Levin (Jazz), Buhlebezwe Siwani (Visual Art), Cara Stacey (Music), Gavin Krastin (Performance Art) and Thando Doni (Theatre).

The creative arts haven’t always been seen as industries where creativity or content creation (in its many forms) was a sustainable way to make a living. The Influence industry (the sector that predominantly uses social media to shape, change and influence the thinking of their audiences in specific ways) is shifting that narrative.

From 15 – 21 November, Durban will be host to the Intra African Trade Fair with a strong focus on the African Creative economy. The Trade Fair (IATF2021), a platform to promote trade under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), is billed to be an event that will bring together continental and global buyers and sellers and enable stakeholders to share trade, investment and market information as well as trade finance and trade facilitation solutions designed to support intra-African trade and the economic integration of the continent.

The South African creative industry can be proud of the talent it continues to produce and is appreciated beyond our shores. The country’s talent impresses audiences across the world. Thuso Mbedu is one such young talent to emerge from here and is doing amazing work on a world stage showcasing raw South African talent.

The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Mr Nathi Mthethwa has decided to uphold the 23 name changes in the Eastern Cape as gazetted by the Department on 23 February 2021.

On 21 June 2021, a uniquely South African documentary, The State of the Arts – The Forgotten Industry, was released to coincide with World Music Day.

The SA Cultural Observatory was established primarily to undertake economic research for the cultural and creative industries. We publish our reports in various media platforms, including this newsletter, to benefit as many cultural practitioners as possible.

Are you hosting an event, discussion, debate, conference or any other celebratory happening to mark the UN's 2021 International Year of the Creative Economy for Sustainable Development? Let us know about it and we will add it to our database of events happening throughout the year. Your event will also be logged in our report to the United Nations General Assembly.

UJ Arts & Culture, a division of the Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (FADA), in partnership with Andani.Africa, a creative industries research and insights company, proudly launches the inaugural Futures & Beyond Forum planned for 16 and 17 March 2021. The first of its kind in Africa, the Forum is a gathering of leading minds in the arts and the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). The Forum aims to start a conversation on the role of the creative industries in the continent’s future and the development of Africa-led strategies for creativity and innovation in technology.

In a year as difficult as 2020 has been for the cultural and creative industries, positive developments are to be highly welcomed. One such development is the successful recruitment of Dr Cynthia Ntombifuthi Khumalo to join the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.