Creation Africa Ghana, an initiative by the French Embassy in Ghana to empower entrepreneurs in the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), has been launched.

A call for proposals to the programme was launched on Monday, November 13 2023, at the French Embassy in Ghana.

Speaking at the programme, the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo expressed his excitement over the initiative.

"Creation Africa which is taking Ghana as its first port of call is something that we in Ghana should be proud of and accept. And the reason for it is something which to Ghanaians should be obvious. We have a dynamic, viable and strong creative industry in Ghana, and it's not of today's making; for long as I can remember Ghanaian musicians, artists, painters have done so much work to bring our culture up to date, to refine it, to redefine it and generally to make it relevant to the struggles and efforts we were making to develop," he said.

The President further noted that the cultural and creative industries are huge drivers of economic development.

"The cultural and creative industries are themselves huge drivers of growth, of wealth creation as well as of course of cultural and creative output," he said.

In his address, the French Ambassador to Ghana, Jules Armand Aniambossou, they seek to bridge the gap between artistry and entrepreneurship and injecting more vitality into the sector.

"We invite aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators to submit their projects for a chance to receive mentorship, resources and money," he mentioned.

Organised in partnership with Impact Hub, Creation Africa Ghana is is part of a broader effort, led by the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, known as Creation Africa, which encompasses, to this stage, 15 African countries. They are: Ghana, South Africa, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Chad and Togo.

About Creation Africa Ghana

Creation Africa Ghana aims to empower entrepreneurs involved in the creation, development, production and distribution of goods, services and activities with cultural, artistic and/or heritage content [architecture, design, books & publishing, music, cinema, audiovisual content, digital creations, museums & heritage, media, visual arts, video games, fashion & luxury goods, performing arts.

In recent years, French foreign policy has shifted its focus towards promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, particularly within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs). These industries have significant untapped potential in Africa, as indicated by a comprehensive UNESCO study conducted between 2020 and 2021.

The study estimates that in the audiovisual sector alone, Africa's film could generate US$20 billion in annual revenue and create over 20 million jobs with increased investment. Currently, these industries employ approximately 5 million people and contribute US$5 billion to Africa's GDP.

Cultural employment constitutes 8.2°/o of total employment on the continent. Much of the CCIs potential remains untapped, especially within informal and private cultural sectors. The Creation Africa Ghana project seeks to address this gap by nurturing entrepreneurial talent, fostering innovation, and driving job creation.

One of the significant highlights of the project is the "Forum Creation Africa," which took place from October 6th to 8th, 2023, in Paris.

This forum was dedicated to the production and circulation of emerging African artistic creation and presented a creative platform for new opportunities and narratives. It brought together African and European entrepreneurs, artists, creators, producers, broadcasters, and industry champions to explore production issues and consider collaboration opportunities with one another.

Four exceptional Ghanaian creators — Akosua Hanson (Creator of the Moongirls comic novel series, documentary producer and radio show host), Eyram Tawia (CEO of Leti Arts, a video game studio), Francis Brown (Creative director at AnimaxFYB, an animation studio), and Jessica Hagan (Screenwriter and playwright) — had the privilege of representing Ghana at the Forum.

The Forum Creation Africa aims to become a prominent cultural and creative event for professionals and designers from both continents.

This will be specifically designed to support Ghanaian entrepreneurs in the CCIs. Impact Hub will play a pivotal role in managing the subsequent incubation/ acceleration program, overseeing approximately 30 projects, with a clear objective of providing support and funding to the top 5 projects.