Arterial Network’s African Creative Economy Conference (ACEC) is an annual gathering that highlights the role of culture in sustainable development. Co-hosted by the Association Racines/ Arterial Network Morocco, the 4th ACEC will take place in Rabat, Morocco, from 13 to 15 November 2014.

The African Creative Economy Conference has fast become a leading networking platform for artists and practitioners in Africa, and a unique opportunity for various stakeholders to discuss and explore the state of the creative sector within a broader geopolitical context. Aadel Essaadani, Arterial Network’s Chairperson, states: “the ACEC sets new standards in terms of knowledge-exchange as it unpacks creative economy strategies and African perspectives, across disciplines and fields.”

This year, conference speakers include African Ministers of Culture and various cabinet representatives, thought leaders from the African Union and UNESCO, a wide variety of cultural entrepreneurs such as Joy Mboya of the GoDown Center (Kenya) and Touria el Glaoui, Founder of the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair (Morocco), and African innovators such as singer Didier Awadi, fashion designer Alphadi and photographer Aida Muluneh.

The ACEC 2014 will build on theoretical expositions of preceding conferences, particularly the need to map the different sectors of the African creative economies. Leading cultural operators will share their success stories with the intention to address the need for pragmatic solutions. Acknowledging the role of arts and culture in the value of freedom of creative expression, an additional thematic focus of the conference will explore and further define the link between arts, culture and democracy.

THEMATIC FOCUS
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African Arts and Culture Strengthening Synergies between Government and Civil Society, unpacking the UNDP/UNESCO Creative Economy Report and Challenges of the Post- 2015 Development Agenda for Africa

Culture, Artist Rights and Democracy in Africa Artistic Rights and freedom of expression, measuring democracy, good governance and the creative sector’s contribution to human, social and economic development

Pressing Issues for the African Creative Economy Entrepreneurship in the Creative Sector, Regional Strategies and Public-Private Partnerships

Snapshots into a Creative Africa Insights and success stories from leaders representing the art disciplines: pragmatic applications for arts practitioners

Learning from the Global South Experience and envisioning the future Lessons from emerging countries: cultural strategies from Latin America and Asia, insights from UNESCO

Artists, creative entrepreneurs, policy-makers, cultural operators, academics and researchers gather annually at Arterial Network’s African Creative Economy Conference, one of the largest meetings of the creative sector in Africa. It is hoped that the wide range of delegates from Africa and beyond will be inspired, informed and educated, and that they will use this unique opportunity to grow their professional networks!

The ACEC2014 is preceded by Arterial Network’s General Council (10th-11th November), where Arterial Network members discuss organizational matters. Racines will also be the host of the “General States of Culture” on the 12th of November, a unique showcase of Moroccan culture for governmental and artistic stakeholders. In addition, an exciting music programme takes place daily in the Visa For Music Africa-Middle East Music Meeting which runs in parallel to the ACEC.

Arterial Network 4th African Creative Economy conference is supported by the Doen Foundation, the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, the National Library of the Kingdom of Morocco, the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Embassy, the Goethe Institute and the German Embasrry of Morocco, the International Organization of la Francophonie, the Attijariwafa Bank Foundation, the Ford International Fellowships Program, the Ford Foundation, the Heinrich Boll Foundation, the Institut Francais and Equation Musique, the British Council, Ford West and Eunic Rabat.

Registration fees

 Category 1- Arterial Network Members: $110.00  Category 2-Africa: $185.00  Category 3- Central And South America, Middle East, Asia: $210  Category 4- North America, Europe And Australasia: $310.00

Payments: Electronic funds transfer and online credit card payments through Paypal.

Registration benefits include: access to all conference sessions, lunches, tea breaks, tickets to the ACEC2014 welcome cocktail and the ACEC2014 closing party, wireless internet and access to the opening of Visas for Music (a three-day showcase of African and Middle-Eastern music with performances from the five regions of the continent.)

Register here
http://africacreativeconference.com/register/