Mauritius: A strategy to strengthen the cultural industry sector
Since the late 1970’s, Mauritius’ has transitioned from a mono-crop sugar dominated economy to a diversified, service-oriented one, becoming a prosperous and democratic society in the process. Opportunities have emerged in the culture sector, recognized as a powerful source of social and economic development.
Having ratified the 2005 Convention, the government acknowledges that career opportunities for artists and cultural producers need to be expanded if the country is to transform its creative and cultural industries sector. This requires creating an enabling environment for artists and cultural producers, notably in terms of market access.
In this context, Mauritius sought technical assistance for UNESCO to elaborate a clear strategy for developing capacities across the cultural industries, and suggesting new delivery and governance mechanisms
The aim of this mission was to assist the Government of Mauritius in developing a cultural industry strategy and actions plans to nurture artistic creation and cultural entrepreneurship, leading to the adoption in 2014 of the Creative Mauritius-Vision 2025 White paper.
More broadly, the general aim was to foster partnerships and collaboration between cultural practitioners and creative industry professionals in the private, NGO and public sectors as well as to improve the service delivery capacity of the Ministry of Culture, encourage cultural entrepreneurship, improve the diversity and quality of cultural activities, products and services, and promote legislations on the status of the artist.
- Over 250 cultural stakeholders participated in 8 workshops over totaling over 44 hours
- With strong involvement, civil society played a key role in designing a local strategy and action plans to support the development of the country's cultural industries;
- Elaboration of an action plan;
- Establishment of independent sectoral coordinating bodies
- Creation of civil society networks
Please consult here a summary of the overall results of the missions and the future steps to be taken.
During their first country visit in June 2012, the experts:
- carried out in-depth research on the current situation of cultural industries in Mauritius and on previous initiatives undertaken within the culture sector;
- met and consulted representatives from the Ministry of Arts and Culture and other governmental agencies, as well as local members of civil society, artists and cultural practitioners;
- organized a series of capacity-building workshops focusing on different culture sectors, to be held during the third visit.
The second country visit was carried out to prepare a series of workshops, through consultations with key stakeholders and the ministry.
The workshops took place during the third country mission . The workshops served to
- discuss the following themes: Live Events; Audio Visual Training and Education; Urban arts and culture in Port Louis; Cultural economy of Rodrigues Island; Rural cultural economy around Le Morne World Heritage; Design, Manufacturing and Fashion; Education to support the cultural economy; the Impact of digital technology for the cultural economy.
- design an action plan for the promotion of the country's cultural industries.
- establish task committees