EVENT PROGRAM
Two days of high-impact dialogues, workshops, and networking designed to shape the future of Africa's creative infrastructure.
Thursday 15 October 2026
Opening, the first working session on coordination, and the Digital Infrastructure Track.
Opening Plenary — Opening Notes
Setting out what the two days are for
Welcome remarks from Africa Creatives Alliance leadership and representatives of the host government. The session states the purpose of ACEL 2026, introduces the infrastructure tracks and explains how the working sessions connect to outputs that continue after the convening.
Keynote presentation: a high-level session on the "State of the Creative Economy in Botswana: The 2030 Roadmap," featuring Ministry of Sport & Arts (MOSA) leadership.
Creative Economy Value Creation & Governance Lab
Part 1 – Framing the Creative Economy Value System in Botswana
A facilitated workshop that helps stakeholders understand the creative economy as a functioning value creation system. Participants identify how economic value is created, developed, protected, financed and brought to market by exploring the key functions required across the ecosystem — from skills development, production and entrepreneurship to intellectual property, innovation, investment, trade, market access and export.
Working in three breakout groups focused on three selected subsectors — 1) Visual arts including crafts, 2) Film/Audiovisual, 3) Performing Arts (Theatre, Dance & Live Performance) — participants will trace their respective value creation processes, making explicit where value is generated, where it is constrained or lost, and the obstacles preventing it from reaching its full economic potential. Each group will identify practical solutions and the functions that need to be strengthened to address these bottlenecks.
The workshop develops a shared understanding of how creative products, services, intellectual assets and experiences generate value and establishes the foundation for the subsequent Relational Stakeholder Framework.
Lunch
Creative Interlude
A live performance momentDigital Infrastructure for the Creative Economy
Building the digital infrastructure that creative economies need
This track moves beyond platform access to examine where digital systems are missing across the creative value chain. Digital tools for visibility and distribution exist, but structural functions — ecosystem connectivity, business support, IP management, access to finance, data and market intelligence — are far less developed. The focus is on what digital infrastructure Botswana and the region need to create, capture and retain more value locally.
"The Creator Playbook"
How African creatives monetize across music, fashion, gaming, and content. Real case studies, real numbers, live demos. Facilitator + 2 practitioners.
Platform Power: Who Controls the Digital Value Chain?
Building on platforms, or renting space on them
A discussion on where value settles when African creatives depend on infrastructure they do not own. Grounded in the Wowzi and Muwado models, the conversation covers digital rights, creator payments, and platform dependency — but also asks: what digital infrastructure is missing for sector development, who should build it, and how can digitalization help Botswana's creative sectors retain more value locally while accessing regional and global markets?
Day One Closing Remarks
Where the day landed
A short close summarising the working conclusions of the day and what carries into Day Two.
An Evening of Visual Arts and Botswana Cuisine
First introductions in a creative setting
Light networking at a creative venue in Gaborone, giving delegates the chance to meet counterparts before the second day of working sessions.
For Queries
Questions about the programme or your role in a session? Reach out to the secretariat.