Pretoria – The creative industry has the potential to grow the economy as it has young people who are innovators, says Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa.
Speaking on Thursday at the annual Moshito Music Market and Conference in Johannesburg, he said economists agree that the creative industry forms a remarkably healthy branch of the global economy.
“When the crisis hit in 2007, world exports of creative goods and services continued to grow,” Minister Mthethwa said.
He said his department is making great efforts to develop, preserve and promote arts and culture.
“Such efforts are evident in the numerous arts and culture policy developments and programmes and this includes the current process of reviewing our White Paper on Arts, Culture and Heritage, which we are about to finalise.
“The White Paper provides the key policy framework for the department and the sector, and has been for the last 19 years the seminal document for the transformation and repositioning of the arts, culture and heritage sector broadly,” he said.
Minister Mthethwa said the policy has also contributed immensely to the promotion, protection and preservation of the sector, including engendering nation building and social cohesion.
“Our country is indeed attempting to deal with arts and culture by taking bolder and more aggressive approaches and actions and our investment and commitment in various National Development Programmes, including the Moshito platform,” he said. – SAnews.gov.za
