Cultural and Creative Industries

Whether involving behind-the-scenes work at a festival, the broadcast of a TV series, or a museum visit, the structuring of certain sectors is essential, if the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) are to generate and contribute to employment and growth. The Cultural and Creative Industries help to strengthen social cohesion and advance development priorities such as education, gender equality, citizenship and governance. Culture is a common good, and AFD has made access to culture for all is one of its key priorities through its support for CCIs.
  • logo linkedin
  • logo email
cultural and creative industries, student, Africa Digital Media Institute, Kenya
THE CULTURAL AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, A VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL COHESION
Cultural and creative industries

Supporting cultural policies

Creative and cultural industries, writing, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Supporting cultural policies

AFD is working to open up a dialogue around public policy with its partners, with a view to maximizing the structural impact of CCI development projects. As part of a trajectory-based approach, it plans to provide financial support for public policy in this sector, and in the following areas in particular:

  • intellectual property and copyright regulations;
  • tax and customs regulations on the movement of cultural goods;
  • increasing private-sector involvement in the cultural sector (tax credits, tax regulations);
  • financing of festivals and live shows. 

This support for public policy reform will therefore establish a framework conducive to the development of CCIs, and lead to the implementation of policies that promote diverse cultural works based on transparent, collaborative and participatory governance processes and systems.

For example, alongside Expertise France, AFD is implementing a project with SACEM to support the development of the Palestinian music scene, namely through legal structuring, provision of training and entrepreneurial support.

Supporting cultural entrepreneurship

 55/5000 Cultural and creative industries, crafts, Mayotte

Supporting cultural entrepreneurship

The cultural and creative industries have a key role to play in improving access to employment, as they promote the inclusion of the most vulnerable social groups and individuals. While the creative entrepreneurship sector has been boosted by digital technology, which has profoundly changed the way cultural works are produced, distributed and consumed, it is often hampered by issues with funding access.

To support cultural entrepreneurship, AFD is focusing on initiatives that provide direct aid to entrepreneurs in the sector, while encouraging banks and financial funds to invest in this still largely neglected field.

Financed by the European Commission and implemented by AFD, the “Innovative Financing Initiative for Culture” program has granted financial support to the Kenyan Heva Fund, in order to boost the creative economy in East Africa. Through co-financing provided by AFD and the European Union (IFIC funding), entrepreneurs from the region were selected via a call for applications, and provided with funding to develop their cultural and creative projects. In addition, the long-term aim of this project is to support public policy in East Africa to promote the development of the CCI sector. 
 

Training and capacity-building for sector professionals

creative and cultural industries, woman, Tunisia, crafts

Training and capacity-building for sector professionals

The development of the creative industries requires the professionalization of sector operators in terms of general management and cultural facilities management, as well as in the technical aspects of culture (live performance techniques, audiovisual trades, heritage conservation, etc.). To help achieve this goal, AFD is working to develop permanent training programs while drawing on French expertise.

AFD is supporting the Canal + University project which aims to train a group of audiovisual professionals and facilitate their integration into local institutions and companies responsible for developing production activities in the countries concerned.

Technical support and skills development are key to the development of the cultural and creative industries. These aspects are incorporated into all the projects financed in 2022, and for 19% of them, are even their main focus. This is demonstrated through the financing of projects to create film schools and provide structured museum and heritage training programs.

Meeting the need for cultural facilities

Cultural and Creative Industries, Mercado Progreso, Santa Fe, Argentina

Meeting the need for cultural facilities

The availability of high-quality cultural facilities creates a virtuous circle by improving access to culture for local communities and stimulating creativity, while promoting social inclusion, youth education and citizenship.

In turn, this enhances the attractiveness of a region, particularly through its heritage, whose promotion has long been a key focus of AFD’s actions, thus having a positive impact on tourism and the local economy in general.

In Haiti, the Tanbou project is working to generate income in the CCI sector and rebuild social ties. To this end, it plans to construct an independent, productive and sustainable cultural space, named the Fabrique des Arts. It will be a safe, communal space for creativity, performance in multiple disciplines, training, free expression and dialogue for all. The Fabrique des Arts will thus promote the development of a meaningful cultural heritage for the local population, and particularly for women and young people in Port-au-Prince.

As part of this project, cultural sector professionals and operators will also have access to two mobility programs led in partnership with the French Institute: a volunteer scheme and a professional training program offering long-term residencies.

36.1
million euros committed to the sector in 2022
142
million euros invested since 2018, in 60 projects and 100 micro-projects across 34 countries
80,000
people (50% of whom are women) have benefitted from cultural activities or productions

The CCI sector is a powerful leveraging tool for inclusive local development, as well as a vehicle for promoting the French-speaking world and encouraging freedom of expression. The structuring of these sectors helps create economic opportunities while improving access to cultural goods and services for local communities.

The ICC mandate is fully aligned with AFD’s partnership strategy. France boasts a wealth of knowledge and expertise that is already being transmitted to most of the industries in the sector. Having signed a strategic and financial partnership agreement with the French Institute, AFD is now its preferred partner (since 2018), alongside the French Ministry of Culture, the Musée du Quai Branly, the INA, the École Rubika de Valenciennes, Expertise France, BnF, and the European Union.

CCIs have an undeniable impact on growth, GDP and exports, and are a source of employment, particularly for young people and women, who make up a substantial part of the cultural sector. CCIs offer a clear guide for the values essential to building a sustainable society: education, governance, citizenship, gender equality, etc. By fostering social ties, notably through intergenerational and intercultural dialogue, culture improves social cohesion, making communities more resilient to whatever ecological, social and moral crises they may face.  

Interactive map
This map is for illustrative purposes only and does not engage the responsibility of the AFD Group
Launch search
See map of all projects