Selam, in partnership with the African Union Division of Sports and Culture, is gearing up to host a series of roundtable discussions in Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia and Zimbawe between 28 November and 8 December 2023.

Themed “Exploring Opportunities and Challenges in Securing Public Funding for the Culture Sector in Africa,” these discussions aim to introduce the CfCA initiative to key stakeholders and create a platform for dialogue around the challenges and opportunities of securing public funding for the culture sector in the focus countries. This exploration will be the initial step toward formulating targeted solutions and advocating for streamlined funding mechanisms.

Launched in May, the CfCA initiative is committed to supporting Africa’s culture sector through reshaping perspectives, championing heightened public investment, and fostering inclusivity. Aligned with the AU Plan of Action (PoA) on the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), the initiative seeks to lobby African governments towards earmarking 1% of their national budgets for culture and creative industries by the year 2030.

“With these discussions, we aim to gather strategies from participants that will inform CfCA activities, including the baseline studies we will be undertaking starting in January 2024,” Selam’s executive director, Teshome Wondimu said.

The roundtable discussions will bring together experts and practitioners from diverse fields within the culture and creative sector, ensuring comprehensive insights. Participants will include Policy and Advocacy Specialists, Government Actors, Culture and Creative Industry Experts, as well as Artists and Civil Society representatives.

“Gathering experts and creative minds from different areas in the culture scene is crucial for these discussions,” Wondimu said. “ This mix of voices is key to building a strong and supported cultural scene in Africa.”

Adding that: “The positive aspect is that there are numerous best practices from countries outside the continent that can be localised to enable CfCA to gain impact that we hope will eventually lead to increased public funding. However, for this to be feasible, we must understand the needs of stakeholders, government budgeting processes, and challenges in securing public funding.”

Roundtable Dates

1. Uganda: 28 November 2023
2. Ethiopia: 29 November 2023
3. Zambia: 1 December 2023
4. Zimbabwe: 8 December 2023