Tshimologong Precinct’s Digital Content Hub Renew Partnership with AFD and IFAS
In 2018, Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in partnership with Agence Française de Développement and the French Institute of South Africa launched the Digital Content Hub (DCH), an incubator for innovative and creative audio-visual content. On 7 April, AFD and IFAS signed phase two of their partnership agreement to the value of €450,000 to support the Creative and Cultural Industries (CCI) in Africa.
The initial three-year partnership was enabled by a grant from AFD to the value of EUR 950,000 (R 14,500,000) and provided access to industry experts and markets across Africa and France in the audio-visual sector, namely animation, video games, virtual reality, digital arts and music.
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Digital Content Hub has had a number of successes, including ‘Mollo Animation Academy and Studio’ which provides professional animation development in 2D animation with a focus on African aesthetics while bridging the gap between tertiary education and the workplace.
To date, the academy, in partnership with Gobelins Animation school has served 44 participants who have had access to the market through their own studios or Tshimologong procuring production work for them to collaborate on.
DCH is also the custodian of the annual Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival and this year will be launching its 9th edition.
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Tshimologong Precinct CEO, Lesley Donna Williams, said that this is a new model for effective partnerships between an African and European nations. “We have proven that development finance blended with commercial activity can bring both inclusions to digital arts and provide sustainable growth opportunities for the projects of creatives.”
Ambassador of France to South Africa, Aurélien Lechevallier, said, “This extended partnership testifies to the deep involvement of France in the creative industries, as powerful tools to create works and to stimulate economic growth. It also testifies to the strong support of France to innovation, creativity and talents.”
