Namibia Creative Summit focuses on future of arts and culture

The Namibia Creative Summit was held at the National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) on Friday.

This event aims to grow the cultural and creative industry by bringing together different stakeholders.

The goal is to create an environment where Namibian artists, creatives and cultural professionals can thrive. The summit discussed how the arts and culture sectors can be used to boost the economy and benefit the country.

One of the main ideas of the summit was to recognise that talent is a national resource. When talent is supported, it can bring both economic and social rewards for any country.

The summit highlighted the importance of creating professional structures that allow artists and creatives to get decent work and recognition for their efforts.

During the event, vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah spoke about the important role of the arts in society.

“The arts are not merely an expression, they are the very essence of who we are as human beings. The recognition of cultural diversity through the culture and creative industry will empower the Namibian artist to inspire and connect the Namibian people.

“Through art, we do a lot of things, through art we are empowered, through art we are united, and that’s why in everything we do, we must find an element of art,” she said.

Media personality and musician Don Kamati found the event to be impactful and inspiring, especially with so many artists from different fields coming together.

“I was really impressed by the number of artists from all disciplines that came through. I was also surprised to see new faces, which tells me that there is a whole new generation of artists interested in empowering themselves with the right knowledge to take their careers to the next level,” he says.

He highlighted the importance of having discussions about policies and laws to protect artists and their intellectual property.

“When I saw that madam Netumbo was there, it showed me that the heads of state [sic] are interested, and they see the need to work on policies and laws that protect us and our intellectual property,” Kamati says.

The summit included many key stakeholders such as the National Arts Council, the Namibian Society of Authors and Composers of Music, the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, as well as the Business and Intellectual Property Authority, all of whom are essential in driving the conversation about the future of Namibia’s creative industry.