The Innovative Entrepreneurs Creative Arts Hub
The Creative and Cultural Industry is a diverse sector that contributes to South Africa’s cultural identity. This sector includes the performing arts, crafts (hand-made products), film, fine art, music, gaming, museums, libraries, architecture, design, and advertising. The 2018 Economic Map Study shows that the industry contributed R63 billion (1.5%) to the South African GDP. The creative economy employment accounts for almost 7% of all the jobs in the country. This means that 1.14 million jobs in South Africa were directly related in some way to Cultural and Creative activities.
The IE Creative Arts Hub aims to provide the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Beneficiaries with access to sustainable economic empowerment through Socio-Economic Development initiatives which will lead to happier, healthier, more sociable, and enriched lives through access to culture and creativity.
We provide the beneficiaries participating in the IE Creative Arts Hub with quality on the job work experiences, affordable workspaces, mentorship, business education and access to local and international sales channels which lead to income generating activities. Our work aims to boost South Africa’s export of finished Creative Arts products, which will generate foreign exchange, increase the number of new Exempt Micro-Enterprises at Level 1, which will reduce unemployment.
Capacity Building and Workplace Experience for the beneficiary includes:
Eradicate the sector’s productivity gap by ensuring that the beneficiaries have access to specialised capacity building and skills transfer that they will need to thrive.
Exposure to the latest trends and new markets, what works and where the gaps are.
Capacity Building that incorporates:
Sales and Marketing strategies
Client engagement and customer service
Understanding, manufacturing, and delivering clients’ orders
Purchase of stock for clients’ orders
Costing of stock required to achieve clients’ orders and ensure profitability
Quotation preparation
Storage of stock and management of stock levels
Manufacturing – mass production of ready-to-wear collections and production assembly lines.
Quality control, packaging, and dispatch
Understanding digital platforms that are linked to online sales (opens up international markets)
Development and implementation of human resource, operations and business practices.
Access to an inspiring workspace, with freedom to express their creativity and collaborate with other creatives.
Access to capacity building on sales channels to boost local, regional and international sales.
Awareness of Intellectual Property Rights and Trademarks.
Launching or scaling an offline business into an online success.
How to leverage the power of online sales, events, and e-commerce.
Implementation of a clear plan of action which incorporates efficient systems that promote consistent, and predictable sales.
How to source and supply wholesale orders to customers.
How to manufacture creative products from recycled material.
How to plan, implement, and manage Creative Arts Workshops and transfer skills to other youth.
How to prepare and set up for Community Market Days where products are promoted to the public.
How to prepare their product quotations, manufacturing pipelines, and supply of end products to clients.
