KISUMU, Kenya Apr 6 – Sector players in the creative industry in Kisumu County have been urged to collaborate in developing a draft creative policy for the county.
Beatrice Odongo, the County Executive Committee Member for the Department of Sports, Culture, Gender, and Youth Affairs, emphasized that it is time for the county to adopt a policy to guide the growth of creativity.
Odongo stated that the county is ready to partner with sector players to ensure the policy is developed in the best interest of the people of Kisumu and its partners.
“Let’s come together so that we can develop this policy for the advancement of this sector,” she said.
The CECM added that once the policy is in place, the sector will be well-positioned to attract resources from both local and international sources.
Speaking in Kisumu over the weekend during the launch of Baraza Media Lab at the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA) Mall, Odongo stressed the need to address the needs of creative industry entrepreneurs through the policy.
“Through the policy, we will be able to secure budget allocations and develop proposals for funding,” she added.
Bovince Ochieng, the Chief Officer for Education, Technical Training, Innovation, and Social Services in Kisumu County, praised the establishment of the Lab in Kisumu as a solution to some of the challenges faced by artists.
Ochieng noted that the Lab provides a new space for creatives in Kisumu to connect, learn, and create.
“The Lab offers a space for learning, research, and the incubation of ideas,” Ochieng said.