Six discussion papers were presented over the course of the day, each focused on distinct dimensions of cultural production, art-heritage and legacy building. Among the core topics were audience-engagement strategies, documenting intangible heritage, enhancing the professional capacities of performing artists, and aligning cultural output with global heritage frameworks. Zerit Tewoldebrhan, the Managing Director for the region, provided operational guidelines in response to the themes identified in the papers, indicating a drive towards systematic follow-through on the conference’s recommendations.
Participants voiced concern over the tendency for arts-and-culture programming to rely on formulaic formats tied to official celebrations, rather than fine-tuning content based on audience feedback, scholarship or long-term preservation considerations. One presenter noted that “when cultural programmes are repetition-driven rather than research-driven the legacy element is weakened.” The conference thus functioned as a forum to pivot from purely ceremonial production to programming anchored in cultural value, community dialogue and archival potential. It also spotlighted the gap between what local artists are creating and what mechanisms exist to preserve their output for future study or public access.
The event highlighted that creative practitioners in the region face both potential and structural constraints. On the one hand, the cultural sector is buoyed by a rich tapestry of traditions, languages and performing-arts genres; on the other hand it confronts challenges such as limited infrastructure for recording and archiving, weak links between academia and practitioners, and funding models that favour spectacle over substance. The managing director’s remarks pointed to a forthcoming shift: “we will work to establish channels that support documentation, research-based production and intergenerational hand-over of cultural forms.”
A noteworthy outcome of the conference was the commitment to launch a cultural-heritage research initiative. This initiative is expected to map key traditions, engage local universities and institutes for documentation, and develop a digital repository of artistic performance, oral history and visual art. Officials described this as a strategic move to ensure that culture and art are not only celebrated during official events but receive sustained scholarly and archival attention. The research initiative will be funded through a combination of regional cultural budgets and partnerships with international heritage organisations.
Another emerging theme was the need to professionalise cultural management and expand training for artists in areas such as curatorial practice, digital archiving, intellectual-property rights and global cultural trends. Artists participating in the conference expressed optimism that the enhanced support structures could open access to international arts networks, festival circuits and cross-border cultural exchange. At the same time, they cautioned that such internationalisation should not erode local authenticity or privilege commercial models over community-rooted cultural expression.
Topics
Culture