This text was produced with the assist of Moja Rising
On the core of Moja Rising: Creativity As Forex is the conviction that creativity itself is foreign money, a tangible asset that allows people and communities to thrive economically by the genuine expression of tradition and innovation. Led by Bartech’s Collen Dlamini and Jonny Cohen, Moja Rising (which interprets to “Collectively We Rise” in Swahili) embodies unity by fostering collaboration throughout Africa’s numerous artistic sectors.
“The way forward for Africa shouldn’t be determined in boardrooms alone: it’s composed in studios, streets, and levels throughout the continent,” says Moja Rising’s govt producer Collen Dlamini. “This initiative is about recognising that creativity is a legit financial asset, one which fuels jobs, commerce, and the dignity of constructing a dwelling from cultural excellence.”
The artistic industries contribute an estimated $58bn to Africa’s GDP, representing a vibrant ecosystem of creators and entrepreneurs shaping international markets in trend, music, movie, design and digital content material. But, this financial powerhouse has remained under-recognised on the worldwide stage. Moja Rising seeks to shift the dialogue from help to funding, leveraging the momentum of South Africa’s G20 presidency to institutionalise Africa’s artistic sector by partnerships, coverage innovation, and sustained capital flows.
Moja Rising advantages from concrete institutional backing and has secured official endorsement from South Africa’s Division of Sport, Arts and Tradition (DSAC), alongside co-investment from the Metropolis of Johannesburg. This offers the inspiration for systematic artistic sector growth quite than project-by-project assist.
Apt cultural activation
“That is an apt cultural activation, poised to highlight Africa’s wealthy and numerous heritage to a world viewers, positioning our nation’s arts, tradition, and expertise on an unparalleled international platform,” DSAC minister Gayton McKenzie says about Moja Rising.
Regardless of this sturdy basis, African artistic sectors nonetheless face persistent obstacles together with financing gaps, mental property dangers, a predominance of casual companies and restricted infrastructure. Moja Rising’s technique rises to satisfy these challenges by advocating for built-in coverage frameworks, mental property protections, infrastructure growth, forward-looking know-how adoption, and strategic partnerships with trade leaders. This ecosystem strategy transforms obstacles into scalable funding alternatives, enabling creatives to unlock the total financial potential of their work.
“The artistic financial system should transfer past the margins and change into a pillar of financial technique,” Moja Rising’s producer Jonny Cohen says. “By constructing bodily infrastructure, authorized frameworks, and cross-continental partnerships, Moja Rising institutionalises creativity as foreign money, creating sustainable livelihoods for generations to return.”
The infrastructure element extends past coverage. Moja Rising will display this in a Artistic Precinct for the G20 Artistic Financial system Summit. Mixed with partnerships spanning 23 African international locations, this creates a continental ecosystem optimised for each native authenticity and international market participation.
Strauss & Co contributes artwork market valuation and heritage experience, whereas Adams & Adams offers mental property and artistic rights safety, addressing two vital gaps that always restrict African sector development.
A partnership with the Soweto Worldwide Movie Pageant demonstrates how cultural storytelling connects to filmmaker networks, creating an built-in ecosystem the place growth, authorized safety, market entry, and authenticity function systematically quite than independently.
Youth champion
At its coronary heart, Moja Rising champions the continent’s youthful workforce, creating inclusive alternatives that foster fairness, poverty alleviation, and empowerment. By equipping rising creatives with enterprise acumen, digital abilities, and market entry, the initiative not solely drives development but in addition engenders resilience and gender inclusion, positioning creativity as a catalyst for significant transformation.
Rwanda’s artistic hubs prepare filmmakers, designers, and digital artists recruited by worldwide companies. Kenya’s digital content material creators attain international audiences by mobile-first platforms. This strategy creates pipeline optimisation for international artistic economies quite than capability constructing for native markets solely. Nigeria and Ghana’s music exports influence international Afrobeats growth. Ethiopia’s textile and leather-based sectors mix conventional craftsmanship with large-scale manufacturing capabilities.
“Creativity isn’t just a facet hustle or a pastime; it’s Africa’s new foreign money, fuelling jobs, commerce, and dignity. Moja Rising is about unlocking that foreign money for each artist, entrepreneur, and group so the continent can rise collectively constructed by itself cultural wealth,” Dlamini says.
