Buffalo City has made notable progress in positioning itself on the global cultural map, particularly through its entry into Unesco’s Creative Cities Network.
While the designation marked a significant milestone, questions are now being raised about how the city can move beyond this.
Since gaining Creative City status in 2023, the city has made limited use of the opportunities offered by the network.
While information about exchange programmes and international calls is shared through mailing lists, the city has yet to actively participate in Unesco conferences, embassy programmes or structured collaborations with other member cities.
According to arts innovator and creative economy advocate Papama Mnqandi, the challenge lies not in the designation itself, but in what follows it.
“Being recognised is important, but it is only the first step. If we are not showing up, participating and influencing conversations within the network, then we are not fully unlocking the value of that recognition for our creatives or our communities.”
Local creative initiatives also remain largely disconnected from the global platform the network provides.
Opportunities to promote artists, authors and cultural institutions internationally have not yet been fully explored.
Mnqandi believes this points to a deeper structural issue within the sector.
“The creative community is still very fragmented. We organise ourselves by discipline; literature, music, visual arts, but the Creative City concept requires us to think collectively.”
The debate has also intersected with Buffalo City’s broader development vision, particularly its smart city strategy.
At times, the Creative City agenda has been viewed as competing with existing priorities rather than complementing them.
“The question should never be whether creativity fits into a smart city, because it is what makes a city smart in the first place. Technology without culture is hollow.”
In 2023, author and cultural activist Tando Mgqolozana arrived in the city with a clear vision.
As the founder of the Abantu Book Festival and a bookstore owner, he championed the idea of Buffalo City becoming a Unesco City of Literature.
This became the gateway through which the city entered the Creative Cities Network.
Now, cultural leaders are calling for the next phase: institutionalising the Creative City agenda.
Proposals include developing a Creative City policy that aligns with existing municipal frameworks such as the Integrated Development Plan (IDP).
Mnqandi supports the idea of a Creative City convention or summit to bring all stakeholders together.
“We need a space where artists, institutions, government and investors can sit together and agree on a mandate,” Mnqandi said.
There are also calls for the establishment of a dedicated Creative City desk.
He said this would position cultural and creative industries alongside tourism, trade and infrastructure.
“For too long, the creative economy has been treated as an add-on, yet globally, cities are using culture to create jobs, attract investment and build social cohesion.
“Buffalo City has the talent, and what we need now is intention.
“Active participation, co-ordination and strategic leadership will determine whether the Unesco title becomes a catalyst for lasting impact or a missed opportunity.
“The network is a door; however, it is up to us to walk through it,” Mnqandi said.
Daily Dispatch
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