Strengthening the Creative Industries for Development in ... - unctad

PART 4. SECTOR SPECIFIC OVERVIEW 55
4.4.4 MUSIC
The music scene in Mozambique is extremely vibrant and seems to have potential for market
development. For the time being, the sector is largely centred on live performances by the musicians as
opposed to recorded sales. The complications in terms of rights and benefits for the creators in this
sector are crucial to address issues related to the current situation.
There are a few local clubs in Maputo where local bands play live on a regular basis. There are also a
number of studios in Maputo. An example is Ekaya, a young dynamic company headed by Joao
Schwalbach, 119 that employs five people. The company’s reputation for quality work is growing. Their
primary source of income is from television work and the company’s connections to the South African
industry seem fundamental to the enterprise.
Ekaya has two activities that could be of particular interest for this project. First, the company is
planning on doing a Mozambican version of the Cuban Buena Vista Social Club project with
Marrabenta, with a recording. Just as the Buena Vista project had an impact on Cuban music exports
in international markets, the Marrabenta project could work in the same direction for Mozambique.
Second, Ekaya is interested in starting an international music festival in Maputo. The intention is to
create a festival with roots music from Mozambique, bringing together musicians from the different
regions of the country, but also to programme international musicians in that genre, which could
increase the visibility of such an event. This is precisely the type of event that can create a powerful
stimulation for the growth of the sector in terms of artistic exchange, development and visibility.
Action: Local professionals such as this creative entrepreneur should be identified and invited for
capacity training in terms of business skills.
Possibilities to facilitate networking and partnerships with local and international companies could
help to materialize initiatives. In this context, UNCTAD invited the President of WOMEX (World
Music Expo) to address a workshop in Maputo on June 2009 120 with the aim to facilitate a strategic
alliance for shaping the future international music festival of Maputo.
The local music industry is confronted by a number of obstacles. In terms of markets, it has to compete
with its overwhelming neighbour, South Africa and with other African countries such as the Congo
and Senegal, which are already established in both African and international markets. In addition, the
local industry also faces obstacles related to rights issues and piracy.
Action: As mentioned above, the music sector is covered in the “One UN” MDG-F project. The
Danish Government is also active in supporting the music sector. Nonetheless, this project could
provide some input in the sector in a targeted manner. This could entail providing some institutionbuilding
support and focused capacity-building. In particular, AMMO could benefit from training in
two areas. First, strengthening the organization so that it can improve its ability to help musicians
protect and promote their own interests. For example, a website for the association could help
disseminate information about the musicians and their music. Second, the musicians themselves could
benefit from capacity-building. For example, since the musicians are often constrained to producing
themselves and to being their own agents, training linked to entrepreneurial skills for artists and on
rights issues seems rather crucial in this sector. 121
119 Meeting with João Carlos Schwalbach, Ekaya Producões Maputo, 3 September 2008.
120 The workshop was an event in the context of the Euro-African Campus for Cultural Cooperation, organized
by the Observatory of Cultural Policies for Africa based in Maputo and the InterArts Foundation from Spain.
121 Meeting with members of the Association of Musicians, Maputo, 3 September 2008.