Creative Economies in Africa: our research

The results of our research networks have been published through three key publications, a final report (free to download) and two edited books (available to purchase online)
All the royalties from the publication of the books will be donated to the not-for-profit organisation The Craft and Design Institute  (CDI) in South Africa, supporting capacity building for young creative practitioners from disadvantaged backgrounds.

If you have any feedback on our work or any of these writings and research findings are useful and have an impact on your work, please get in touch and let us know. 

Other related writings available to download:

Comunian, R, England L and Hracs, B (2022) Cultural Intermediaries Revisited: Lessons from Cape Town, Lagos and Nairobi in Hracs, B. J., T. Brydges, T. Haisch, A. Hauge, J. Jansson and J. Sjoholm (Forthcoming) eds. ‘Culture, Creativity and Economy: Collaborative practices, value creation and spaces of creativity.’ Routledge, London Draft Working paper version
​
England, L, Ikpe, E, Comunian, R & Kabir, AJ (2021), Africa Fashion Futures: creative economies, global networks and local development, Geography Compass. Working paper version here 
Here below some more information about the books 
Picture
Higher Education and Policy for Creative Economies in Africa
Developing Creative Economies
​By Roberta Comunian, Brian J. Hracs , Lauren England

The book reflects on the role of the creative economies in a range of African countries (namely Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Uganda). Chapters explore how creative economies emerge and can be supported in African countries. The contributors focus on two key dimensions: the role of higher education and the role of policy. Firstly, they consider the role of higher education and alternative forms of specialised education to reflect on how the creative aspiration of students (and future creative workers) of these countries are met and developed. Secondly, they explore the role of policy in supporting the agendas of the creative economy, taking also into consideration the potential historical dimension of policy interventions and the impact of a lack of policy frameworks. The book concludes by reflecting on how these two pillars of creative economy development, which are usually taken for granted in studying creative economies in the global north, need to be understood with their own specificity in the context of our selected case studies in Africa.
This book will be of interest to students, scholars and professionals researching the creative economies in Africa across the humanities and social sciences. All the royalties from the publication of this book will be donated to the not-for-profit organisation The Craft and Design Institute  (CDI) in South Africa, supporting capacity building for young creative practitioners from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“Higher Education and Policy for the Creative Economies in Africa” is an interesting and timeous book, doing much to expand the creative economy literature and understanding of the sector in a global south context. Comunian, Hracs and England have succeeded in drawing together various case studies, including film, design, craft and cultural events, from a range of African countries, into a coherent volume. The challenges, as well as the huge potential, of the creative economy in Africa is discussed by African researchers and practitioners themselves, using a range of both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The result is a richly detailed, realistic view of creative economies in Africa that will be of use to researchers, students, practitioners and policy-makers.
Jen Snowball, Professor of Economics, Rhodes University & Chief Research Strategist, South African Cultural Observatory.
Picture
Developing Creative Economies in Africa
Spaces and Working Practices​
By Brian J. Hracs, Roberta Comunian and Lauren England

​Bringing together the experience of academics and practitioners, this book discusses creative economies in Africa, focusing on changing dynamics related to working, co-working and clustering.
The contributors in this volume examine how strategies and opportunities such as co-working spaces, clustering and hubs facilitate the emergence of creative industries in a range of African countries including Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania and South Africa. They also consider the importance of creative intermediaries in providing opportunities and platforms for the development of creative economies in Africa. The chapters present a range of case studies and practices that engage with how creative and cultural producers embrace some of the limits and challenges of their local context to creatively deliver opportunities for economic as well as social and cultural development in their cities and regions.
This book will be of interest to students, scholars and professionals researching the creative economies in Africa across the humanities and social sciences.


All the royalties from the publication of this book will be donated to the not-for-profit organisation The Craft and Design Institute (CDI) (https://www.thecdi.org.za/) in South Africa, supporting capacity building for young creative practitioners from disadvantaged backgrounds.