Chief Executive Officer – Beth Arendse

South Africa’s creative economy is often underestimated and seen as cultural enrichment only, rather than a serious economic force. Yet the evidence tells a different story. The cultural and creative industries (CCI) already contribute nearly R300 billion to GDP. This represents about 4% of GDP, putting the CCI’s at similar levels to sectors such as mining. The CCI’s also supports around 1.4 million jobs and plays a critical role in shaping the country’s future economic trajectory. More importantly, they offer one of the most accessible and inclusive pathways into the economy for young people, women, and emerging entrepreneurs.

At a time when South Africa faces persistently high unemployment and widening inequality, the creative economy stands out as a sector with both scale and inclusivity. It is labour-intensive, entrepreneurial, and deeply embedded in local communities. Unlike many traditional industries, it does not rely solely on large capital investments and thrives on talent, ideas and intellectual property. This makes it particularly relevant in a country with a youthful population and a growing digital ecosystem.

Beyond direct economic contribution, the creative economy has powerful multiplier effects. It fuels tourism, activates urban spaces, supports the hospitality sector, and increasingly intersects with the digital economy through film, gaming, music, and design. It also plays a vital role in shaping South Africa’s global identity by exporting culture, stories, and innovation to the world. Think amaPiano, South African fashion design, craft, animation, and visual art!

Despite this potential, the sector remains structurally constrained. Many creative practitioners operate in informal or precarious conditions, with limited access to funding, markets, and business skills. The gap is not in talent, but in systemic support and integration into the broader economy.

This is where Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) plays a pivotal role.

BASA acts as a bridge between the creative sector and the formal economy, connecting artists and creative entrepreneurs with corporate partners, markets and investment opportunities. By positioning the arts as a viable social and economic contributor with a clear investment benefit, BASA helps unlock private sector participation and shifts the narrative from piecemeal funding to strategic investment and value creation.

Against this backdrop, our new BASA 2.0 strategy positions the organisation as a connector and catalyst for economic growth across the creative economy. Central to this shift is a reimagined membership model that expands access and impact – introducing a free membership tier for creatives to broaden participation, while simultaneously growing a more engaged corporate membership base to unlock investment, partnerships, and market opportunities.

Together with our industry partners, BASA is driving Creative Futures Africa, a think tank for sector leaders from across the creative ecosystem to address the structural constraints that continue to limit the sector’s growth and reform.

Alongside this, BASA is strengthening capacity through the rollout of certified programmes, including Board Connect, a governance programme designed for creative sector boards, and an Investment Readiness Accelerator that equips creative enterprises with the skills, systems, and credibility required to scale.

At the same time, BASA is deepening its investment in market intelligence and data, building a stronger evidence base to inform decision-making, unlock investment, and more effectively articulate the economic value of the sector.

In this way, BASA is not only supporting individual practitioners but actively building the infrastructure, networks, and capabilities required for a more inclusive, investable, and globally competitive creative economy. Rather than focusing on isolated interventions, BASA contributes to building a functioning ecosystem. It operates at the intersection of business, policy, and creative practice, strengthening the value chain and enabling more resilient creative enterprises to emerge and scale.

BASA’s work demonstrates that when creativity is connected to capital, markets, and business capability, it becomes a driver of growth, innovation, and transformation in South Africa’s economy.

In a country seeking new pathways for inclusive growth, the creative economy is not a peripheral sector but a strategic one. It combines economic potential with social impact and local relevance with global opportunity.

The focus must now shift to building the systems that enable this sector to thrive. The opportunity is ours to seize.

What comes next for us at BASA is unlocking it – at scale.

Sinenhlanhla Mdiya
sinenhlanhla@basa.co.za
Business and Arts South Africa
http://www.basa.co.za