CREATIVE FUTURES AFRICA 2026 TO BRING TOGETHER LEADERS TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF AFRICA’S CREATIVE ECONOMY
Johannesburg, South Africa – 23 July 2026 – The future of Africa’s creative economy will take centre stage in Johannesburg this September as leaders from government, business, finance, technology and the creative industries come together for the second edition of Creative Futures Africa.
Taking place from 16–18 September 2026, the three-day Summit will examine the role of the creative economy in driving investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, job creation and sustainable economic growth across the continent.
Creative Futures Africa was established to create a space where the creative economy is considered alongside broader conversations about economic development, investment, technology, trade and policy.
Following its inaugural Summit in 2025, the 2026 edition will build on a year of research, dialogue and engagement around the opportunities and challenges facing Africa’s creative industries.
The 2025 Summit resulted in a report identifying key priorities for the development of the sector, including investment readiness, infrastructure, intellectual property ownership, data sovereignty, policy coordination and cultural mobility.
These issues remain central to the future of Africa’s creative economy.
As artificial intelligence and digital platforms transform how creative work is produced and distributed, questions around ownership, value capture and data are becoming increasingly important. At the same time, the growth of investment into Africa’s creative industries and the expansion of intra-African trade present significant opportunities for creative enterprises, businesses and investors.
Creative Futures Africa 2026 will bring these conversations together through a programme focused on creative economy finance and investment, intellectual property and commercialisation, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, creative cities and tourism, infrastructure and entrepreneurship, as well as intra-African trade and cultural mobility.
The Summit will bring together perspectives from across sectors, recognising that the development of Africa’s creative economy cannot be addressed by the creative sector alone.
Creative Futures Africa is also evolving into a year-round continental platform for thought leadership, policy dialogue, investment mobilisation and ecosystem development.
As part of the build-up to the September Summit, Creative Futures Africa convened a high-level Johannesburg Dinner on 14 August 2026. The invitation-only gathering brought together approximately 120 senior stakeholders from government, business, finance, the creative industries, entertainment and the broader cultural ecosystem.
With the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture in attendance, the dinner provided a platform for focused dialogue, relationship-building and meaningful exchange around the role of cross-sector collaboration in strengthening Africa’s creative economy.
The dinner marked an important step in building the relationships and conversations that will continue through the September Summit, creating opportunities for collaboration, investment and knowledge exchange across sectors.
Creative Futures Africa 2026 takes place from 16–18 September 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Further details on the programme, speakers and participating partners will be announced in the coming weeks.
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Sinenhlanhla Mdiya
Marketing and Communications Manager
Business and Arts South Africa (BASA)
