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发挥的作用越来越感兴趣--无论是在其经济贡献方面，还是在社会变革和文化参与方面(教科文组织，2013年)。为了促进这一领域并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/文化部门的从业人员以及文化和创意政策机构。其目的将是更好地了解非洲新兴国家的创意经济，并探讨鼓励和促进具体情况下的可持续文化、社会和经济发展的战略。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、一系列创意领域的实践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做法。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讲习班，第二年每个中心将举办一次学术研讨会，重点讨论三个相互关联的主题：--“创意教育和职业”(由尼日利亚创意中心在拉各斯主办)--“创意经济地图：框架、数据来源和政策”(由南非创意中心在伊丽莎白港主办)--“可持续文化生产网络”(由内罗毕肯尼亚创意中心主办)--这些活动将使非洲和国际学者、非洲大学、非洲各地的创意从业者以及非洲和非非洲的政策制定者受益。总体而言，研究网络有四个主要目标：1.编写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，重点是创意教育、文化生产网络和政策的作用；2.开发一个开放获取的知识平台，作为学者和从业人员在这一领域工作的参考点，包括案例研究、链接、访谈、工作文件和政策简报；3.通过系统分析，更清楚地说明三个非洲国家(肯尼亚、尼日利亚和南非)创意经济的本土化知识和实践与发展可持续文化生产和消费生态的机会之间的关系；4.探讨大学在非洲可能发挥的潜在作用，将研究人员、创意实践者、政策制定者和民间社会聚集在一起，努力实现可持续和当地的文化发展。来自研究网络的研讨会和其他活动的数据、知识和结论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，出版关于正在举行的各种研讨会的报告，收集案例研究/访谈/讨论。除这一开放平台外，还计划提供更多的传播手段，例如编写一本收集案例研究、反思和经验的书籍，发表一篇期刊文章，从理论上反映网络的成果，并在地理学和创造性研究领域的国际会议上组织会议和发表专题演讲。研究网络的活动将为参与的学者、创意实践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。它将提供机会，批判性地考虑挑战，但也提供可持续的途径，以支持整个非洲大陆未来的文化供应。

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.