Creative Fridays: Paving the Way to a National Creative Economy...

Today, MOTIV launched Creative Fridays, a small step towards our broader and bolder vision of activating a national creative economy. It's a journey that has been both demanding and rewarding, characterized by relentless perseverance.

Why Embrace the Creative Economy?

With its vibrant array of arts, entertainment, design, and media, the creative economy has shown exponential growth, accounting for approximately 3% of the global GDP. Its revenues soar to around $2.25 trillion, employing 30 million people worldwide, making it an incredibly dynamic and vital sector.

North America generates around $760 billion in GDP from creative industries, while in Europe, Countries like the UK, France, and Germany see 5-7% of GDP from creativity. In Asia, China & India lead with over $200 billion and $40 billion in GDP, respectively. In Africa, Nigeria & South Africa lead the show with $7 billion and $10 billion to GDP respectively.

Though challenging to quantify accurately, especially in smaller economies where tracking may be lacking, the creative economy has become a critical driver of growth and development. It holds particularly significant potential in African countries, including Uganda.

Creative Fridays: More Than Just an Event..

Creative Fridays is not just an initiative; it's a movement. Every Friday creatives from all fields are invited to participate in themed activities, workshops, and collaborations. The themes, meticulously curated, serve to spark exploration, connection, growth, and innovation.

This particular one demonstrates the power of Community. Curated by creatives for creatives, the spark was set off by Wonder JR, who has made the MOTIV canvas his own.

Our focus encompasses:

• A Community-Driven Approach: Creative Fridays leverages community to create a safe, judgment-free zone where creativity flourishes.
• National Reach: We are excited about expanding this across our regional spaces, in Gulu, Jinja, and Mbarara.
• A Future Fueled by Creativity: Pioneering a brighter future built on passion, ideas, and creativity.
• Sustainable Creative Economy: Merging creativity with entrepreneurship.
• Creating Connections and Collaboration: A platform that nurtures diverse collaborations and unique partnerships.

Building Towards a Robust Creative Economy

Our mission at MOTIV extends beyond hosting an event; it's about building and fostering a creative economy, and understanding the unique challenges and opportunities in smaller economies.

Here’s how we aim to achieve this:

• Investing in applied Education and Training. Along with mentorship, we focus on skill development tailored to the creative industry.
• Enhancing Market Access and Distribution. Prioritizing export support for the broader African and global markets.
• Creating an Enabling Regulatory Environment. Strengthening Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) to protect creative works.
• Exploring CreaTech. Leveraging the intersection of creativity and technology to produce groundbreaking products like 3D printing in fashion design.

The road to MOTIV 's current stage has had its challenges. More often than not we have been labeled a sinking canoe. "Get off that sinking canoe," they would say. Our failures have taught us, shaped us, and propelled us forward. They've won us no glory, yet they've been essential to our growth.

Though the future is uncertain, our resolve is clear: we will shape it, one creative Friday at a time. Join us on this exciting journey as we stride towards a future where creativity isn't just an expression but a driving force of innovation, inclusivity, prosperity, and a thriving national economy.