Rethinking the contribution of creative economies in Africa to sustainable development. An empirical research of creative intermediaries in Accra’s contemporary art sector

The Creative Economy (CE) has emerged as a significant cultural policy agenda, offering promising pathways to promote Sustainable Development (SD) in African countries. However, growth-focused CE paradigms often fail to reflect the empirical realities faced by cultural stakeholders in Africa, which may hinder the effective use of culture in advancing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Addressing this requires holistic, regenerative approaches to CEs that prioritise the system-enhancing qualities of culture and focus on how cultural workers collaborate and navigate dysfunctional cultural policy infrastructures. This article, therefore, examines the role of creative intermediaries in rethinking the conditions that may enable meaningful contributions toward the SDGs through CEs. Based on 14 days of fieldwork conducted in the visual arts community of Accra, Ghana, in July 2022, the empirical research identifies creative intermediaries as pivotal actors in Ghana’s CE, contributing in ways that align with the interconnected dimensions of the SDGs. This article proposes that cultural enabling is an intrinsic working practice of these creative intermediaries and a fundamental function of CEs. Thus, a regenerative cultural policy approach towards CEs supports sustainability efforts and acts as a catalyst for whole-system health.