dyton mupawaenda
Spiwe Sarakunze-Herald Reporter
THE British Council has, in collaboration with Switzerland, launched the Creative Economy Week for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship within the music and fashion industries, enhancing skills, and driving economic growth while showcasing UK expertise and global partnerships.
Speaking at the launch in Harare yesterday, British Council regional arts director Ms Farai Ncube said they wanted to showcase some of the arts through fashion and music.
The theme for the week, which has been running from Wednesday ending today, is “Growth reimagined”.
Ms Ncube emphasised the importance of reimagining growth from individual contexts and innovations, tapping into cultural heritage, and resonating with the private sector and Government.
The British Council operates in over 200 countries and territories, reaching 600 million people in 2022–2023.
Ms Ncube noted that the initiative aimed to unlock the potential of the creative economy in Zimbabwe, advocating job creation and supporting social cohesion.
The partnership with Switzerland involves an investment of £2 million into the economy to scale up several programmes.
Creative Economy Week is part of the British Council’s broader Creative Economy programme to strengthen creative and cultural industries across Africa.
The event gathers creatives, artists, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, policymakers, and cultural enthusiasts to explore opportunities for innovation, skill development, market access, and economic growth within the creative sector.
Last year’s event saw significant engagement, and this year’s event aims to support diverse, equitable, and inclusive creative ecosystems, particularly benefiting young creatives, especially women and marginalised communities.
The Swiss Embassy is actively involved, fostering diplomatic relations and promoting Swiss interests across political, economic, scientific, educational, and cultural sectors. The embassy supports bilateral cooperation and cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding.
In an interview, creative director and founder of Rock Studio London Ms Ellen Rock said they will do their first event at the Creative Economy Week, running an accelerator for several years.
This year’s design think-tanks allow the local community to experiment with new skills, with participation from designers across several African countries.
Managing director of K Media Africa Mr Keith Kowudzai spoke about their partnership in the Creative Economy programme, specifically the Music Connects Africa initiative.
“Basically, the creative economy programme is an initiative that they have started where they want to capacitate creatives in Zimbabwe with a particular focus in music.
“We are going to have a grand showcase event on Saturday evening where we are showcasing some of the emerging music artists and fashion creatives being supported by the creative economy,” he said.
Design artist Ms Nyasha Johnson expressed her gratitude for the opportunity. “I am very grateful for the opportunity that they have given us. I am learning a lot about storytelling when you have a brand as a designer to cooperate with people.”
Dr Balogun Tomiar, a designer from Nigeria, added that sourcing raw materials from Zimbabwe had been beneficial.
“It is a good thing to be part of the creative economy programme, and I learned a lot from storytelling,” said Dr Tomiar.
The Creative Economy Week is poised to create numerous business opportunities for youth in music and fashion design.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter