Registration has opened for the third African Creative Economy Conference (ACEC), which is expected to attract some 400 delegates (including visitors from at least 40 African countries) to Cape Town, South Africa from 6-9 October this year.
The Conference should appeal to a wide audience, including creative practitioners, academics, entrepreneurs, policy-makers, brand strategists, corporate managers and art administrators.
With research revealing that Africa’s share of the global creative economy is less than 1%, the Conference aims to focus attention not only on the continent’s creative industries as economic drivers; it will also highlight their potential contribution to the eradication of poverty and underpinning democracy and human rights.
The event takes place under the auspices of Arterial Network (a network of individuals, organisations, donors, companies and institutions engaged in the African creative and cultural sector).
“Previous ACECs have proven to be instrumental in creating markets and raising the profile of African cultural goods and services within Africa and beyond,” said Korkor Amarteifio, Chairperson of Arterial Network. “We intend to make this our largest gathering to date. It will set a benchmark in terms of the quality of the input and the range of activities that will form part of the programme.”
Arterial Network Secretary General Peter Rorvik added: “Delegates will be well-positioned to explore the state of the creative industries within the broader political and economic context of Africa and to examine their huge potential to create jobs and help the sustainable development of the continent.”
The bid for the Conference was submitted by the Cape Craft Design Institute (CCDI), as the primary implementing agency, assisted by the Conference Bureau of Wesgro, the Western Cape’s investment and trade promotion agency. CCDI Executive Director Erica Elk said: “With the support of the City of Cape Town, planning is well under way for a forum that has the potential to help boost the growth and contribution of Africa’s creative industries in a volatile global environment.”
The Conference will be held in the City Hall, from whose balcony Nelson Mandela addressed the world in 1990. The imposing Edwardian building regularly hosts creative events such as the City Hall Sessions musical collaborations, and was the venue of AZA 2012 – Re-scripting Architecture. The conference will also serve as a precursor to 2014, when Cape Town will attract global attention as World Design Capital.
An ACEC parallel programme will celebrate African creative industries, offering events in music, theatre, dance, film, fashion, visual art, design, literature and cuisine. These will take place in venues throughout the city, but also in the East City district – The Fringe – Cape Town’s developing innovation precinct.
Registration
Early Bird registration fees (early registration closes on 1 July 2013)
Category 1: R 3,910 per delegate from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East
Category 2: R 2,850 per delegate from Central America, South America and Asia
Category 3: R1947 per delegate from Africa
Normal registration fees
Category 1: R 4,497 per delegate from Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East
Category 2: R 3,278 per delegate from Central America, South America and Asia
Category 3: R 2,239 per delegate from Africa
The registration fee includes conference information and entrance to a welcome cocktail event, with two drink vouchers, snacks and a gala concert ticket on Sunday 6 October. From Monday to Wednesday (7-9 October) the cost includes refreshments on arrival, mid-morning and afternoon tea/coffee and snacks, a light lunch, free wireless internet and access to all conference sessions. Registration also includes access to the closing party on 9 October.
Conference enquiries: Contact Kim Peters at 27 (0)21 674 0013 or ACEC2013@ccdi.org.za.
http://www.acec2013.org.za.
https://www.facebook.com/AfricanCreativeEconomyConference.
https://twitter.com/acec2013.
Note to editors:
The creative economy deals with the interface between creativity, culture, economics and technology in a contemporary world dominated by images, sounds, texts and symbols. The creative industries are among the most dynamic sectors in the world economy, providing new opportunities for developing countries to leapfrog into emerging high-growth areas.
The Conference programme will broadly cover:
• Examining and re-defining the creative industries under African conditions and their relevance to African economic, social and political developments;
• Undertaking and sharing detailed, up-to-date research on each sector in the creative industries; and
• Discussing the creative industries and their relevance within the broader political and economic context. For example, the role of BRICS countries in Africa, and the impact of countries such as China on the creative industries. See http://www.acec2013.org.za.
Arterial Network is a continental network of artists, cultural activists, Arts NGOs, cultural enterprises and others engaged in the African creative sector and making a contribution to democracy, human rights and development in Africa. Established at a convention on Goree Island, Senegal, six years ago, it is administered by a Secretariat based in Cape Town and has official national chapters in 40 African countries. First held in Nairobi in December 2011, its annual conference rotates from region to region, with Cape Town being the Southern African host after the second conference was held in Dakar in November 2012. The 2014 conference will be held in Casablanca, Morocco with a Central African country playing host in 2015. See http://www.arterialnetwork.org.
Issued by: Judy Bryant Communications
On behalf of: African Creative Economy Conference
Media Contact: Judy Bryant, Judy Bryant Communications
judybryant@telkomsa.net | 083 2867168 |+27 21 683 6464
Arterial Network: Peter Rorvik, Arterial Network Secretary General
peter@arterialnetwork.org | +27 21 465 9027
Jeanne Hefez, Arterial Network Communications Manager jeanne.hefez@gmail.com | +27 21 465 9027
CCDI: Marjorie Naidoo, CCDI Communications Manager
marjorie.naidoo@ccdi.org.za |+27 21 21 461 1488
Conference Enquiries: Kim Peters, Project Manager
ACEC2013@ccdi.org.za |+27 21 674 0013
Judy Bryant Communications
4th Floor Letterstedt House / Newlands on Main /
Corner Protea and Main Roads
Claremont /Cape Town 7708
Mobile: 0832867168 / Email: judybryant@telkomsa.net
URL: http://acec2013.org.za
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Author: Judy Bryant from Judy Bryant Communications. Originally distributed by MyPR.co.za.
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The African Creative Economy Conference takes place in Cape Town 6-9 October 2013. Photographer: ACEC
