by AKANI CHAUKE
JOHANNESBURG, (CAJ News) – JOHANNESBURG in South Africa is the most culturally vibrant city in the entire African continent.
This is according to the Creative Vibrancy Index for Africa (CVIA), which ranks how 12 African cities support and enable the arts, culture and creative industries.
The index provides a comprehensive overview of the environment for artists and creative entrepreneurs in, alphabetical order, Accra (Ghana), Cairo (Egypt), Dar-Es-Salam (Tanzania), Dakar (Senegal), Harare (Zimbabwe), Johannesburg (South Africa), Kinshasa (DR Congo), Lagos (Nigeria), Luanda (Angola), Marrakech (Morocco), Nairobi (Kenya) and Tunis (Tunis).
Johannesburg has the highest overall ranking score for creating the most enabling environment for creativity, followed by Cairo and Lagos.
Meanwhile, Marrakech, Tunis and Kinshasa are the least enabling cities.
Narrative change organisation, Africa No Filter, and the British Council fund the CVIA.
“The availability and access to arts, culture and creativity is increasingly the mark of a successful city and developed economy,” said Moky Makura, Executive Director of Africa No Filter.
The official believes the index will shine a much-needed spotlight on the state of the creative landscape in Africa and help all advocate for more support for storytellers on the continent.
“We have started with just 12 cities, but our aim is to do this across all major cities on the continent,” Makura said.
Ojoma Ochai, Managing Partner of the Creative Economy Practice at Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), said the ranking of cities is not the main value add.
“What is more important is the use of the comparative measurement to showcase good practice, inspire dialogue and stimulate more support for the sector,” Ochai added.
– CAJ News