UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTING CREATIVE ECONOMIES IN AFRICA: EDUCATION, NETWORKS AND POLICY (HN)

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the role that cultural and creative industries play in developing economies - both in terms of their economic contribution but also in connection with social change and cultural engagement (UNESCO, 2013). To contribute to this field and to support related policy agendas, the research network will connect and mobilise different communities, including academics, practitioners in the creative/cultural sector and cultural and creative policy bodies. The aim will be to develop a better understanding of the creative economies in emerging African countries and to explore strategies to encourage and enable sustainable context-specific cultural, social and economic development. The network will provide a platform for a range of international and interdisciplinary academics working in this area of research, practitioners across a range of creative fields, as well as policy and networks bodies to reflect on their work and practice in relation to creative economies in Africa. The research network will establish three creative hubs (Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa). In year one a series of local workshops will be organised and in year two each hub will host an academic seminar focusing on 3 interrelated topics:
-'Creative Education and Careers' (hosted by the Nigeria Creative Hub in Lagos)
-'Mapping Creative Economies: frameworks, data sources and policies' (hosted by the South African Creative Hub in Port Elizabeth)
-'Sustainable Cultural Production Networks'(hosted by the Kenya Creative Hub in Nairobi)
These events will generate benefits for African and international academics, African universities, creative practitioners in a range of local African contexts and African and non-African policy makers.

Overall, the research network has four main objectives:
1. Compile a literature review of existing research which aims to understand the specific context of emerging creative economies in Africa, with a focus on the role of creative education, cultural production networks and policy;
2. Develop an open access knowledge platform which acts as a point of reference for the work of academics and practitioners in this area, with case studies, links, interviews, working papers and policy briefings;
3. Through systematic analysis, develop a clearer articulation of the relationship between localised knowledge and practice in the creative economies of three African countries (Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa) and opportunities for the development of sustainable ecologies of cultural production and consumption;
4. Explore the potential role that universities might play in the African context for bringing together researchers, creative practitioners, policy makers and civil society to work towards sustainable and local cultural development.

Data, knowledge and findings from the seminars and other activities from the research network will be disseminated through a dedicated website. This will provide an open knowledge platform, publishing reports on the various seminars taking place, collecting case studies / interviews / discussions. Alongside this open platform, further means of dissemination are also planned, such as an edited book which collects case studies, reflections and experiences, a journal article which reflects theoretically with the outcomes of the network, and the organization of sessions and delivery of presentations at international conferences in the fields of geography and creative studies.

The activities of the research network will give participating academics, creative practitioners, and policy makers a shared platform to engage and reflect on the emerging role that creative economies can play in shaping the future of Africa and establish new international connections. It will offer the opportunity to critically consider challenges but also sustainable pathways to support future cultural provision across the continent.

The network engages with three specific research topics in relation to the development of sustainable creative economies in Africa: the role of education in the development of creative careers; the role of local sustainable cultural production networks and the importance of frameworks, data and policies in relation to cultural mapping. We look at these themes in specific geographical settings and contexts to develop an in-depth knowledge and understanding that can be shared and re-contextualised across a range of African countries. The network activities provide the means of bringing together and synthesizing the knowledge and experience of participants, through case studies, discussion and debates. The potential impact therefore lies in the opportunity for seminar participants and broader communities of interest and practice to critically engage with these debates and enhance their knowledge and understanding but also by thinking about their applicability and implementation. Beneficiaries of the research are therefore identified as:
1) Creative industries, arts organisations and the creative practitioners' communities in Africa. It is acknowledged that creative economies can play an important role in the future of developing countries, in relation to their socio-cultural as well as economic value. However, in many countries the prominence of primary sector activities might discourage people from pursuing creative careers or from sustainable cultural production networks. Policy can play a role but may become driven by broader economic development arguments and focused on industries which might be economically important but unsustainable. The result is an impoverishment of heritage, cultural expression and cultural production. The network activities will give voice to these cultural producers and explore their perspectives towards and experiences in relation to developing sustainable creative economies, connecting local and global resources. The impact will be an improved understanding of the dynamics of creative economies in three African countries and the possibility of sharing this knowledge between them and to other contexts more broadly.
2) Policy makers involved in the creative economy nationally and internationally. The project will raise awareness about the role of creative economies in Africa and will also be able to provide case studies as well as critical consideration of the potential and difficulties emerging from different practices in supporting the sector. Therefore it is hoped that improved knowledge of dynamics of engagement will benefit policy makers developing new agendas in this area and national bodies that want to better understand how to support local creative industries. Furthermore, within this policy framework it is important to also consider how the project will aim to reflect on the role that higher education can play in facilitating this sustainable development.
3) International audiences The UK has been recognised as a global leader in the knowledge and policy aimed towards the creative economy (as promoted by the British Council with its international programmes) and it is hoped that this research network will give further international profile to UK knowledge and expertise as well as invite future international collaboration in this area of work.
This impact will be achieved through a robust dissemination plan for seminars and research outputs. In particular, it will include: a seminar report compiled with the hosting institution after each seminar; a final policy briefing documents developed by the PI and Co-PI to be shared with policy makers to inform them of the findings and issues emerging from the network. With the help of host universities, researchers and practitioners and PI and Co-PI, the project aims to update the website with a range of case studies, interviews and audio-visual material from the three creative hubs.