Christopher Mahove
Unpublished Africa, a creative hub that supports Emerging African visual artists, will this month launch the third cohort of the Creative Business Studio, its flagship program.
The Creative Business Studio, which seeks to equip participants with skills to better their creative businesses, will run from September 23 to October 31 and will see partakers getting the support of industry experts, business strategists and program mentors.
Unpublished Africa supports African photographers that need access to more opportunities that can help them build their credibility, entry level African artists that need more resources to build businesses around their art and African Emerging visual artists that need more platforms to publish their work and share their stories.
“Creative Business Studio, has seen creatives from Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe (and more) learn how to improve their creative business and set a foundation for them to access more opportunities,” noted Unpublished Africa Founder, Anesu Chikumba.
She said creatives in the program would get expert mentorship from business and creative industry professionals who will share their expertise and provide guidance during the course of the studio.
Participants, she said, will also be accorded an opportunity to engage in practical exercises aimed at giving them hands on learning, adding that the Creative Business Studio will also provide networking opportunities.
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“Participants are also awarded an opportunity to publish their work with Unpublished Africa in the publication Africa Published which is exclusive to program participants and collaborators. Creative Business Studio culminates this publication and previous cohorts contributed work that showcased their interpretation of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth”, Chikumba said.
Chikumba said it was imperative for Visual storytellers to have their stories told as they
Captured and provided the world with stories that breakthrough the language barrier.
“Africa Published’, alongside its founding organization, is a platform for the sharing of the African creative’s journey and narrative,” she said.
She emphasized Unpublished Africa’s commitmentto fostering the growth and development of photographers in Africa through its various programs and initiatives, which provide opportunities for creatives to showcase their work, connect with industry professionals, and contribute to the visual storytelling landscape.
“Unpublished Africa is a platform committed to creating and facilitating events and activities that encourage the sustained advancement of (documentary) photographers and their invaluable work. This is while prioritizing the growth of the African emerging visual storyteller,” she said.
Unpublished Africa collaborates with visual storytellers in order to find new and creative ways of uncovering and telling the African story and provide a space for likeminded creatives to build a community that encourages collaboration, curiosity, and confidence.
