Department of Arts engages creatives on Digital Roadmap

The Department of Arts in the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture on Saturday commenced regional consultations with creatives and other stakeholders on the National Digital Roadmap for the country’s creative industries.

The mission started off with the Southern Region in Blantyre.

One of the participants, poet Robert Chiwamba, who is also Poetry Association of Malawi (Pam) President, welcomed the regional consultations but dared the Department of Arts on implementation.

“Someone once said that Malawi has got good policies and blueprints but there is no implementation. I hope, this time, things will be on the table,” Chiwamba said.

Deputy Director of Arts responsible for arts and crafts Macdonald Maluwaya hailed players for sharing their views and wishes on a document that seeks to bring the creative industry into the digital age.

“Digital technologies have completely transformed how we do things. Technological advancement has reshaped how we produce, distribute, store and consume works of art. Given the context, it is important that we properly position our industry to be relevant,” Maluwaya said.

He said the project aimed to strengthen the country’s regulatory and policy frameworks to ensure that local creative and cultural industries are protected, promoted and empowered within the rapidly digital environment.

Maluwaya said the initiative, which is being led by two experts, namely Salim Dada from Oman and Nyokase Madise from Malawi—aims to develop a strategic plan on how to promote and protect artists in the digital environment, including the application of Artificial Intelligence, which threatens the industry.

“This is a different step and players highlighted issues such as the absence of infrastructure, funding, equipment and electricity,” he said.

This initiative follows Malawi’s successful application, under Unesco’s programme ‘Technical Assistance to Implement the 2005 Convention in the Digital Environment’.

From the Southern Region, the workshops go to the Central and Northern regions for more views.