A quiet revolution is unfolding across Africa’s Digital Creative Industries (DCI), driven by an often overlooked group of professionals – intermediaries. These are the publishers, distributors, content aggregators, incubators, and training organisations that fuel the continent’s creative powerhouse. But what do they do, and why is their role so crucial?
Intermediaries are the backbone of creative industries, guiding everything from production to monetisation. Yet, despite their pivotal role in linking creatives with markets, intermediaries remain largely unrecognised and unsupported. The University of Witwatersrand and the Fak’ugesi Festival have teamed up to change this narrative, providing training, networking opportunities, and visibility to these unsung heroes.
In 2021, a game-changing boot camp helped uncover the challenges intermediaries face. This spurred deep academic research, leading to vital insights and initiatives to boost Africa’s DCI. The Fak’ugesi Festival has become a beacon of support, evolving its programme to serve intermediaries better and spark pan-African collaboration.
With the launch of the Intermediary Connect Platform, the stage is set for an even more significant impact. This digital tool enhances visibility for intermediaries and provides creatives with the support they need to thrive in both regional and international markets. Intermediaries are more than just facilitators – they are the architects of the future for Africa’s digital creative industries.
Thanks to academic research, festival engagements, and new platforms, the roadmap to empowering these intermediaries is clearer than ever. The next frontier? Education. The Wits School of Arts and the Goethe-Institut are already piloting a course designed to equip emerging intermediaries with the skills they need to succeed, aiming to establish this training as a permanent feature of Africa’s creative landscape.
As Africa’s digital creative sector grows, intermediaries are emerging as the force that will shape its future – lifting the continent’s artists to new heights and global recognition. Intermediaries will be the driving force behind this digital renaissance, ensuring that Africa’s cultural and creative wealth flourishes both at home and abroad.
Through initiatives like Fak’ugesi, the next wave of African creativity is set to not only meet but surpass its potential. And the time to recognise and celebrate these unsung heroes is now.
Learn more about the African Intermediaries Platform with this research pack prepared by the GIZ: https://africanintermediariesplatform.framer.website/#about
Or read more here:
