By: Dwight Links
Great emphasis has been placed on the development of Namibia’s arts and culture sector as an economic enabling sector, which also leads to opportunity growth and employment creation.
This is encapsulated in the NDP6, which points towards a holistic economic growth path for participants in the arts economy to manifest the latent potential contained within.
However, artists from different sectors of the creative industry have expressed scepticism.
A musician interviewed by The Villager highlighted that one doesn’t support what they don’t believe in. The kwaito/house singer quizzed that if the country pays more for foreign artists, how would local art be prioritised.
They added that “at corporate events, we play external music, and decorate our offices with imported art. This is not because we aren’t talented enough; they just never gave us a chance, nor explored our offerings.”
A stand-up comedian, Dennis Kaunda, expressed hopes of an improved approach to achieving said development outlined in the NDP 6.
“If I speak about my area of expertise as a comedian, I do not have much positivity regarding the focus the government will place on the arts sector,” said Kaunda.
“They always focus on the obvious arts practices, and comedy is always ignored. You could argue that as a nation, we are still trying to understand what the art of comedy is all about. But, the government tends to ignore this part of the arts,” he added.
According to the NDP 6, under the Human Development pillar, the Arts and Creative Industries are positioned the closest to societal activities.
“Namibiaʼs Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy, defines creative industries (CIs) as industries that have their origin in individual creativity, skill, and talent with a potential for wealth and job creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property rights (IPR),” the policy outlines.
In many parts of the world, the creative industries have rapidly grown into significant economic contributors, while being the highest economic drivers for many nations around the world.
“Creative industries contribute significantly to economic growth, often driving innovation and job creation. CIs are the fastest growing industries globally, accounting for 3.1 percent of global GDP,” notes the NDP 6, indicating room for growth in Namibia’s untapped potential.
The policy further notes that said potential could be unlocked through recognising how the arts go hand in hand with other sectors, such as information technology and tourism. Society at large is both the consumer and producer of this sector which has seen numerous nations establish strong economic pillars.
“Due to their basis in creativity and arts, creative industries place human beings, their talents, skills, and abilities, as the main resource. Additionally, participation in the arts improves social outcomes, such as enhanced community engagement, personal wellbeing and education,” notes the NDP 6.
On the aspect of the economic plans for the creative industries, Kaunda added that there should be support for each unique practice found the sector, placing emphasis on the local consumption of the arts in Namibia.
“As a market as a whole in Namibia, we do not really have that support from the government. That is why you will see that the Namibian population will continue to consume more foreign content than our own. For instance, local television production does not have much locally produced content for us to look into,” said Kaunda.
According to the policy document, Namibia is guided by numerous legal and developmental frameworks that directly impact and provide for the promotion of the arts and creative industries in Namibia.
“Similarly, Namibia is a member of numerous international conventions and policy instruments regarding arts and creative industries,” states the NDP 6.
The NDP 6 looks to pair its plans with the National Assembly’s inception of the Arts, Culture and Heritage Policy in 2021
