A few weeks ago, Namibia witnessed its first-ever Creative Summit. The space brought together a variety of industry players, who deliberated on various issues about the Namibian creative industry. 

The summit was organised by Mindscape Events, who closed off the proceedings with a music show, themed ‘The economy of talent: Unlocking the developmental agenda of the Namibian creative sector and its contribution to the economy’.

I shower the Mindscape events team with a thousand omake. 

They did something that everybody failed to do for 34 years. 

For years, I have been writing about the potential the creative industry sits with.

It has the potential to actively and proudly contribute to the gross domestic product and the bottom line of this country. 

For years, many creative practitioners, including myself, have lobbied the governing establishment to look at the creative industry as a weapon against unemployment. 

The fact is that a recent census confirms that most of the country is youth. 

What is also true is that a majority of the unemployed are young. 

This creates a multilayered problem in society.

Judging by recent crime statistics, it is becoming an increasingly problematic headache. 

For years, the governing establishment refused to understand this reality.

To their benefit, when lobbied or quizzed about looking at the creative industry as a potential source of relief for the scores of the unemployed, the governing establishment would always ask, ‘Is the creative industry holistically organised?’

We would come up empty when hit with this question. 

We cannot engage the governing establishment as individuals. 

It must be as a collective. 

So, my excitement at the just-completed Namibia Creative Summit. 

Once again, omake! 

A big shout out to the National Arts Council of Namibia and Future Media Namibia for assisting Mindscape Events in putting this historic summit together. 

These entities would be remembered as being on the right side of history.

I was, however, disappointed by the turnout, but I am not surprised. 

Creative practitioners tend to be keyboard warriors. However, when it is time to attend important spaces and contribute, it is a no-show. 

It is a big, fat zero. 

For years, different stakeholders would organise workshops to equip creative practitioners with various skills and knowledge, but these workshops would be poorly attended. 

So, it was disheartening to see that it was the case as well with the first-ever creative summit.

However, the creatives who attended got the job done. 

The findings and recommendations from this summit will go a long way in crafting a framework for creative practitioners in this country. I salute the creatives who attended and rendered the work. 

Your efforts will benefit generations to come, including the keyboard warriors. 

Omake!

Until the next loop, we say #GMTM

Need an MC? I’m your guy. Hit me up: naobebsekind@gmail.com