Contemporary arts champions, SMEs development and tourism productivity in West Africa: Looking beyond the commercial value of the 'artefact'

新兴的非洲当代艺术部门正在为非洲各地基层的商业创新和社会责任企业家精神做出越来越多的贡献。在加纳（Serge Attukwei Clottey）、科特迪瓦（Joana Choumali）、尼日利亚（Gerald Chukwuma）、尼日利亚/多哥（Modupeola Fadugba）和马里（Abdoulaye Konatè），艺术家在发展当代艺术领域中发挥了超越其艺术活动的先锋作用。然而，有关当代艺术对社区发展和旅游业的意义、重要性和影响的证据有限，仍处于高度投机状态。本研究旨在发展对“艺术价值”的批判性理解，超越该术语的商业意义，以及艺术家在创意部门中小企业发展中的作用这项研究将侧重于审视当代艺术在西非的增长及其在社区环境中与旅游业和生产力的直接联系。这将涉及研究选定的当代艺术家和那些直接和间接影响他们的工作。经验研究将涉及实地研究，与艺术家和相关社区一起生活和工作，以批判性地了解艺术家如何在基层运作，参与和/或加强当地产品，特别强调创新，可持续性，赋权，平等，使用可用资源，生产和分销线以及社区发展。该研究将确定创新，对社会负责，这是西非当代艺术和社区旅游业发展的可持续和合乎道德的途径。

The emerging African contemporary arts sector is increasingly contributing to business innovation andsocially responsible entrepreneurship at grassroots level across Africa. The role of artists as champions indeveloping the contemporary arts sector beyond the immediate of their artistic engagements is evidentin Ghana (Serge Attukwei Clottey), Cote D'Ivoire (Joana Choumali), Nigeria (Gerald Chukwuma),Nigeria/Togo (Modupeola Fadugba) and Mali (Abdoulaye Konatè). There is however limited evidenceabout the meaning, significance and impact of contemporary arts on community development andtourism, which remain highly speculative.This research aims at developing critical understandings of the 'value of arts' beyond the commercialmeaning of the term and the role of artists as champions in the development of creative sector SMEs (i.e.galleries, fairs, museums, studios) and value chain connections with the tourism sector in West Africa.This research will focus on looking at the growth of contemporary art across West Africa and its direct linkwith tourism and productivity within a community-based setting. This will involve researching a selectionof identified contemporary artists and those directly and indirectly impacted by their work. Empiricalresearch will involve research in-situ, living and working alongside the artists and associatedcommunities to critically understand how artists operate, engage with and/or enhance the local offeringat grass-root level, with particular emphasis on innovation, sustainability, empowerment, equality, use ofavailable resources, production and distribution lines and community development.The study will identify innovative, socially responsible, sustainable and ethical pathways to contemporaryarts and community-based tourism development in West Africa.