By Nik Ogbulie
Official British Council representatives at the ongoing CANEX WKND, on its 3rd day, urged the teaming audience at the centre’s Amphi-theatre, to optimise their funding opportunities through the Council by sending strongly-willed Expression of interests to the Commission as strongly and frequently as they can.
In a panel discussions today, the Council which was represented by a strong delegation from its home office and other Aftican country office representatives, responded strongly to the funding necessity considered to be an important demand for the realisation of a strong creative economy across Africa.
The UK-Nigerian Season of Culture , a British Council collaborative outfit, and Insightout Consortium research on Funding the Creative Economy is currently explaining the various steps and conditions it can seriously take for the development of creativity as a budding sector for the African economy.
Over 30 creative people from England, Wales and Scotland, with various creative skills narrated to the audience why they came to Lagos for the event, saying that they are in positions to collaborate with many Nigerian creative people through skill development and funding.
The UK creative participants told Moneyreport Magazine that they hear a lot about African artists but can’t find them as they have not been able to find their expressions of interest anywhere to enable them expansively explore the areas they need help.
They are urging African creative people to fully put their expression of interest very loudly and articulated, to be effectively attracted.
According to Donna McGowan, leadership of the team, people should make their ideas open. “We encourage creative people to think beyond medicine and engineering, as the British Council is ready to help reposition people living with good creativity to access funds and explore their potentials.
Please put more expression of interest to us, and we must respond. For instance, dance expressions of interest to the UK are few and must be seen to receive good attention from the Council. We can help as partners, but we must first consider the expression of interest and we must obviously get a partner for you from the UK. We can help you with capital because we want to see new relationships and establish genuine cultural relationships. We have to make the creative economy to be very successful, and UK wants to be part of that success story. The particular industry or creation must be the spotlight to be able to achieve a lot. More Nigerian brands and creatives are welcome into the UK markets. We also want creators who are doing good and who have access to good structures. The creative industry in Africa is doing amazing things”, he said.
It is the belief of the council that creative people need to be investment conscious and ready and must have good knowledge about what they want to achieve.
They indicated that the greatest challenges in funding the creative sector in Africa is lack of adequate knowledge by funders. They must understand the aspect of the intellectual property issue so that it can advise on how to address the contextual issues of collateral .
The British Council believes that much researches will continue to be done to get the best from African creativity. They noted that more interests on African creativities have become major spotlights and many independent organisations are getting involved because they need more creative hands to pick up things to do for the UK; most of the time through agencies and NGOs.
