African Alternatives: The Future of Creative Cities
African cities’ potential to unlock economic growth through culture
The African Alternatives: The Future of Creative Cities Report shares analysis of the emerging themes and trends for culture in Sub-Saharan Africa with insights from 11 African capitals.
By 2050, the African population is expected to double with 80% of this growth in cities. Our research shows that creativity is booming in African cities, and there is huge is potential to foster sustainable economic growth through culture.
In partnership with the British Council and Andani.Africa, World Cities Culture Forum, conducted research into the cultural landscape in Accra, Addis Ababa, Cape Town, Dakar, Freetown, Harare, Johannesburg, Kampala, Kigali, Lagos and Nairobi.
We engaged with over 150 policymakers, cultural leaders and academics through a series of interviews, roundtables and surveys in 2023 to understand the main challenges and opportunities for supporting culture and the creative economy.
From job creation to heritage preservation and tourism, we have identified the key drivers for implementing cultural policy in African cities, as well as the challenges posed by rapid urbanisation, economic inequality and the climate emergency.
This research builds on our partnership with CcHUB and Africa No Filter on The Creative Vibrancy Index for Africa, which provides data on the growth and vibrancy of Africa’s creative industries.
Read the Report in English and French for:
- Recommendations for cultural investment in African capitals, including data collection, regional research and public-private partnerships
- Research profiles and data for 11 Sub-Saharan African cities
- Overview of existing cultural policy and governance structures in African capitals
