Document: Cultural Industries Growth Strategy (CIGS)

South Africa’s diverse and dynamic arts and culture heritage is one of its richest and most important resources, with the capacity to generate significant economic and social benefits for the nation. Equally important, but less well understood, is the potential for a vibrant and dynamic arts and culture sector to contribute significantly to the economy of the country.

The Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology (DACST) is contributing to the government’s Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) strategy through a number of initiatives intended to enhance the economic and social benefits of arts and culture. The Cultural Industries Growth Strategy (CIGS) is one such initiative and has concentrated on developing strategies for the growth and development of the cultural industries, in particular to realise their potential to create an export market and to create employment.

This report was commissioned by DACST to research the cultural industries and to propose strategies for their growth and development. This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the Department or the Ministry of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology but will be used to inform future policy formulation.