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

近年来，人们对文化和创意产业在发展中经济体中所扮演的角色越来越感兴趣——无论是在经济贡献方面，还是在社会变革和文化参与方面（联合国教科文组织，2013年）。为了在这个领域作出贡献和支持相关的政策议程，研究网络将连接和动员不同的社区，包括学者、创意/文化部门的实践者和文化和创意政策机构。其目的将是更好地了解新兴非洲国家的创意经济，并探讨各种战略，以鼓励和实现具体情况下的可持续文化、社会和经济发展。该网络将为在这一研究领域工作的一系列国际和跨学科学者、跨一系列创意领域的从业者以及政策和网络机构提供一个平台，以反思他们在非洲创意经济方面的工作和实践。该研究网络将建立三个创意中心（肯尼亚、尼日利亚和南非）。第一年将组织一系列当地研讨会，第二年每个中心将举办一个学术研讨会，重点关注3个相互关联的主题：-“创意教育和职业”（由拉各斯的尼日利亚创意中心主办）-“绘制创意经济：框架、数据来源和政策”（由伊丽莎白港的南非创意中心主办）——“可持续文化生产网络”（由内罗毕的肯尼亚创意中心主办）这些活动将为非洲和国际学术界、非洲大学、非洲地方背景下的创意从业者以及非洲和非非洲政策制定者带来好处。总体而言，研究网络有四个主要目标：1。编写一份现有研究的文献综述，旨在了解非洲新兴创意经济的具体背景，重点关注创意教育、文化生产网络和政策的作用；2 .开发一个开放获取知识平台，通过案例研究、链接、访谈、工作文件和政策简报，为这一领域的学者和从业者的工作提供参考；3 .通过系统分析，对三个非洲国家（肯尼亚、尼日利亚和南非）创意经济中本地化知识和实践之间的关系以及文化生产和消费可持续生态发展的机会进行更清晰的阐述；探索大学在非洲环境中可能发挥的潜在作用，将研究人员、有创造力的实践者、决策者和民间社会聚集在一起，共同致力于可持续的和当地的文化发展。研讨会和研究网络的其他活动的数据、知识和结果将通过一个专门的网站传播。这将提供一个开放的知识平台，发布各种研讨会的报告，收集案例研究/访谈/讨论。除了这个开放的平台之外，还计划进一步的传播手段，例如编辑一本收集案例研究，反思和经验的书籍，从理论上反映网络成果的期刊文章，以及组织会议并在地理和创造性研究领域的国际会议上发表演讲。该研究网络的活动将为参与的学者、创意从业者和政策制定者提供一个共享平台，让他们参与并反思创意经济在塑造非洲未来和建立新的国际联系方面可以发挥的新作用。它将为批判性地考虑挑战提供机会，同时也为支持整个非洲大陆未来的文化供应提供可持续的途径。

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.