The Gambia leads the way towards new cultural policy monitoring
How do we measure creativity? Monitoring and data collection is an essential task for governments that wish to encourage the growth of their creative economy. Only when we understand the current state of the cultural and creative industries, can we fill gaps and remove obstacles that the creative force faces through effective policymaking. The Gambia, a West African nation, became the first country to use UNESCO’s newly updated report mechanism to capture the voices of creative workers.
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News coverage of the workshop:
This collaborative process went well beyond an administrative exercise. It also started a dialogue between the government and civil society actors, with a focus on evidence‐based cultural policymaking. Among the participants, the enthusiasm for diverse creative content was strong. “Broadcasters association of The Gambia is ready to work with the creative sector to promote creative local contents,” says Ndey Siring Bakurine, representing the Association. Demba Ceesay and Fantoumata Bah from the Gambian Union of Theatre share their vision: “Our aim is for theatre to regain its rightful position through capacity building and sensitization. We want to make sure Gambian theatre arts and its practitioners are recognized nationally and internationally and given their dues.” So far, the Gambia has responded to this growing demand with their music quota policy. “The Gambia is enforcing a policy that requires 70 percent of music played via television, radio and other media services to be domestically produced, for the advancement and promotion of Gambian Music,” says Fatoumata Camara, Copyright Inspector.
© Abubakar Dem/NCAC
“If our young talented musicians are nurtured and guided by the right people, the country’s music industry can become prominent in the sub-region and beyond, despite the size of the country,” says Kanuteh. The lively discussions in July laid the foundation for Gambia’s future creatives aiming for the global stage.