Creatives have said the development of a national digital roadmap for the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) could ease long-standing challenges and unlock new opportunities in the creative sector.
This was highlighted in Lilongwe during consultations on the development of a national digital roadmap for the cultural and creative industries.
One of the participants, musician Kim of Diamonds observed that while creatives have established an online presence, they are yet to fully benefit from the same, adding that the absence of a clear framework has also made it difficult for artists to translate visibility into income.
She said countries in the West are already benefitting more from the digital space because the countries have strong laws and clear systems that protect intellectual property.
“Once this roadmap is taken seriously, it means everyone in the creative space can earn from what they do, whether music, fashion or storytelling,” said the artist.
| Wantwa Mwamlima
Visual Arts Association of Malawi acting president Evelyn Chisambiro said visual arts thrive on visibility and while the digital shift has improved exposure for most international artists, the same remains low locally.
“Honestly, we are behind in the visual arts as most artists still rely on traditional buyers and lack online platforms to sell their work,” she said.
Chisambiro said a digital roadmap can change the situation by giving artists confidence to showcase their work widely, knowing there are proper guildines to protect their work.
Department of Arts director of arts Humphrey Mpondaminga said while digital transformation has brought both opportunities and challenges to the creative sector, many countries including Malawi still lack a clear roadmap guiding how cultural and creative industries can fully embrace digital technologies; hence, the involvement of Unesco in supporting the process.
“What we are doing now is a consultation process to ensure we have input from stakeholders on what exactly we want as a sector. The consultants have already identified opportunities and gaps, so we are here to validate and prioritise them,” said Mpondaminga.
He also said the findings will contribute to the review of the National Cultural Policy is expected to be finalised later this year.
“The document from this project will feed into the second edition of the National Cultural Policy,” said Mpondaminga.
Unesco international consultant Salim Dada said the consulation process is also an opportunity to seek suggestions from industry players on how best to strengthen the sector.
He said Malawi does not necessarily need new legislation, as there is already enough documentation on copyright, intellectual property and national strategies, but what is needed is better coordination.
“What we need now is to harmonise these frameworks and ensure coordination among institutions and ministries,” said Dada, adding that stronger collaboration across sectors is key to building a vibrant creative economy
