Tanzania government urged to increase investment in arts sector

Dar es Salaam. Key stakeholders in Tanzania’s arts and culture sector have called on the government to boost investment in the sector, highlighting its growing economic contribution, especially through youth employment.

The call was made during a meeting held on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 to discuss a project which pushes for increased public funding for the sector.

Dubbed "Connect for Culture Africa (CFCA),” the pan-African project was discussed during an event organised by a cultural transformation organisation called Selam and the Swedish government.

The project pushes for governments to allocate at least one percent of their national budgets to arts and culture.

Executive director of Tanzania Artists Rights Organisation (TARO), Mr Joshua Msambila, emphasised the need for the government and the private sector to work together in addressing challenges facing the creative industry.

"We are hosting a national discussion on how best to increase investment in the arts and culture sector. This platform brings together key stakeholders to share ideas and propose solutions for improving funding and investment in arts and culture in Tanzania," said Mr Msambila.

Sweden’s ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Charlotta Ozaki Macias, underscored the significance of culture as a nation's driving force.

“Culture is the heartbeat of a nation. It’s the oil running the machinery. It allows societies to express their identities, nourishes traditions, and offers visions for the future,” she said, adding that Sweden has a long-standing history of supporting Tanzania’s cultural sector.

The ambassador noted that approximately 10 million Tanzanians are actively involved in various forms of cultural expression, yet the sector receives 0.6 percent of the national budget.

She pointed out that arts and culture play a crucial role in social and economic development.

“Sweden believes in the power of culture to transform societies,” she added.

Advocacy programme officer for the Connect for Culture Africa initiative, Ms Beatrice Waruinge, said the project aims to push for increased public funding for the arts sector.

"We are here to listen to Tanzanians and assess how best we can engage the government to ensure more investment in the creative industry," she said.

Echoing similar sentiments, managing director of Creative Industry Network Tanzania (CINT), Mr Robert Mwampembwa, emphasised the need for the government to formalise the sector.

“The creative industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors, yet it has not received sufficient attention in terms of reforms. The artists are contributing significantly to the economy, but their efforts are not fully recognised because the sector remains largely informal,” he said, urging the government to increase funding and support formalisation efforts.