The creative sector is headed for a major revival as the government champions the passing of legislative policies that will favour players in the arts industry.
Director of Culture in the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Heritage Dr Kiprop Lagat said time has come for creatives to make a meaningful life out of their art noting that the State had put in place strategies that will open opportunities for all creatives and save their Intellectual Property from exploitation.
“This is really great news for the creatives that we are working on a comprehensive legal framework to manage this space. We should be able to monetize that space. Actually, creatives’ talent should be their source of livelihood. They should make good money and live well doing what they are doing,” Dr Langat said.
The Director added: “The government has banked on programs to enhance the development of the creative economy using the digital platforms and by extension enhance its development,”
He was speaking in Nakuru on Sunday when he held deliberations with the County’s Creative Working Group to discuss initiatives aimed at supporting local talent and boosting the city’s cultural profile.
At the same time, Dr Langat who was flanked by Nakuru City Manager Mr Gitau Thabanja challenged artists to create content that identifies with the African culture as it will speak to African values and will help in promoting local content internationally.
“Create content that speaks to our African values to tap the market, don’t chase Europe or America as you will not do better than they do,” he advised.
He noted that Kenya’s creative economy presents economic and cultural opportunities that require development.
The Economy Survey 2023 had revealed that the arts, recreation and entertainment industry accounts for 5 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 0.25 percent of total wage employment. It was also identified as a contributor to a happier and healthier lifestyle.
The Director indicated that businesses in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector, as established in Kenya’s 2016 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) survey, had the highest average life (of 10.1 years) when compared to businesses in other industrial sectors.
Dr Langat said by supporting the creative industry the government was playing a key role in fostering creative thinking and addressing high unemployment rate.
He pointed out that the government has identified the creative economy as one of the fastest growing sectors not only as a source of employment but also as an enabler of national cohesion and innovation.
Mr Thabanja mentioned that the County government is investing more in theatre and nurturing diverse and vibrant creative talents aimed at creating more employment opportunities to address the rising unemployment cases among the youthful population.
He disclosed that Nakuru has been selected to participate in the upcoming prestigious Korea Cultural Festival providing a platform to showcase the city’s intangible cultural heritage.
He added that this will raise Nakuru’s international visibility and open doors for future cultural engagements.
The City Manager said with Governor Susan Kihika’s administration the county was making good use of the available theatre infrastructure to scout for emerging talents across the devolved unit.
Mr Thabanja was happy that introduction of prime arts and comedy segments in nearly all television stations was a clear indication that art was becoming a paying venture adding that besides the performing arts, visual arts and cultural heritage, Kenyans were now producing films, videos, television and radio shows, video games, music and books which were increasingly becoming popular among Kenyans both in urban and rural set-ups.
While voicing the county administration’s commitment to supporting creative activities for economic gains, the City Manager said the county was also supporting important work being undertaken in graphic design, fashion and advertising subsectors within the County.
He said the meeting had focused on monetizing the creative sector with discussions centralizing on potential programs, grants and partnerships to help local artists turn their creative talents into profitable ventures.
This, he added, will not only uplift the city economy but also position Nakuru as a cultural capital in the region.
“Plans for a mega city cultural festival were also unveiled. We agreed to hold an annual event that would showcase Nakuru’s rich cultural diversity, attracting participants and tourists and enhancing the city’s cultural and tourism profile. The goal is to tap into Nakuru’s creative sector while aligning with international opportunities to enhance its global recognition,” remarked Mr Thabanja.
The City Manager underscored the importance of investing in the creative industry as a driver of economic growth and global recognition, noting that culture is central to Nakuru’s identity and a valuable resource for fostering community cohesion.
He observed that art was critical in expressing emotions, communicating ideas and transmitting knowledge from one generation to another and advised that the best way of encouraging progressive thinking and innovative ideas to advance a ‘creative economy’ was cultivating young people’s imagination and creativity.
The city cultural festival event added Mr Thabanja is aimed at creating a platform for industry players and stakeholders to learn, share and celebrate their diverse artistic creations and also leverage these talents to advocate for national cohesion in society.
He said the event would also be used as a forum to promote artistic expression for national cohesion and sustainable development as participants will show off their raw talent and novel ideas.
“This will not only give visual and performing artists a platform to showcase their work but also provide a marketing venue for products,” he added.
Consequently, the official said the event would promote teamwork and unity and play a pivotal role in the celebration of the country’s cultural heritage as the youth participate in activities key in supporting livelihoods and the empowerment of their immediate communities.
At the same time, the official said it was important for counties to fully utilize homegrown talent in all their events as art was an expressive, non-threatening way to express inner feelings adding that Nakuru County was committed to promoting and protecting local artists against exploitation and providing opportunities for young people to explore music, drama, dance, film, art and fashion.
He hailed the Youth Affairs, Sports and Arts Ministry’s announcement to the effect that it was preparing a new legal framework to protect Kenyan creatives and the industry.
For too long, culture and arts have been made marginal to national development due to conservative attitudes of what they entail.
Cultural experts have however indicated that limiting culture to tradition and ethnography denies the nation the opportunities provided by the imagination, technological advances, rapid urbanization and the energies released by cultural interconnectedness.
Kenya’s creative sector’s evolution is attributable to many factors including the expanded digital environment, characterized by increased consumption of creative works, improved Internet infrastructure, better legislative framework, and a growing global interest in Africa’s creative sector.
Collectively, these factors have created opportunities for diverse revenue streams, especially for the youth who make the biggest number in the population and whose innovative and creative talents have thousands seeking entrepreneurship opportunities for the betterment of their livelihoods.
By Anne Mwale
