The announcement coincided with the launch of a baseline report for the Connect for Culture Africa (CFCA) Research and Innovation Programme, which seeks to encourage African governments to allocate at least 1 percent of their national budgets to culture, arts, and heritage by 2030
Dar es Salaam. Sweden has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of the arts and culture sector in Tanzania and across Africa, emphasizing that culture is not a luxury, but a foundation for democracy, creativity, and human dignity.
The announcement coincided with the launch of a baseline report for the Connect for Culture Africa (CFCA) Research and Innovation Programme, which seeks to encourage African governments to allocate at least 1 percent of their national budgets to culture, arts, and heritage by 2030.
Speaking at the CFCA project launch in Dar es Salaam, Swedish Ambassador to Tanzania, Charlotta Ozaki Macias, highlighted the importance of improving the working environment in the creative and cultural sector.
“Tanzania’s creative industries are not just symbols of heritage and identity—they are key drivers of economic growth, employment, and youth empowerment. Over 10 million Tanzanians are engaged in the sector, yet public investment remains below African Union targets,” said Ambassador Macias.
She added: “According to CFCA research, only 12 percent of funding allocated to this sector goes directly to arts and culture, revealing a significant gap between policy and implementation.
While sports are important, it is equally essential to ensure that arts and culture receive adequate resources.”
Deputy Executive Director of Tanzania Bora Initiative (TBI), Ismail Biro, noted that the project will be implemented in collaboration with the Pan-African cultural and creative organization Selam, aiming to advance the sector through awareness campaigns, public-private collaboration, and training in creativity, culture, and heritage.
“Today’s launch brings together stakeholders from the creative sector, cultural institutions, development partners, and government officials to review the research findings and explore ways to expand investment,” he said.
The project seeks to increase value and investment in arts, creativity, and heritage, helping practitioners improve their work and expand markets locally and internationally.
Representing the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts, and Sports, Principal Cultural Officer Mfaume Said emphasized the government’s data-driven approach to addressing challenges in the sector:
“For a long time, in-depth studies were lacking to clearly identify obstacles.
This project is an important start. We also plan to build multipurpose sports grounds with cultural arts halls in Kawe, Dodoma, and Dar es Salaam, particularly near the National Stadium, to facilitate professional cultural activities.”
The initiative underscores a shared commitment between Sweden, Tanzanian authorities, and regional partners to foster sustainable growth in arts, culture, and creative industries across Africa.
