CRAFT Addis 2027 — Creative Arts for Transformation
Where Creativity Creates Jobs & Technology Transforms Economies
A three-day gathering to elevate African talent and unlock the potential of the creative economy.
Register for early access to tickets, speaker announcements and workshops.
CRAFT Addis is a Pan-African creative economy and innovation festival that celebrates African talent, encourages collaboration, and creates business opportunities across the industries shaping the continent's creative economy.
70+
Makers & exhibitors
40+
Hands-on workshops
70+
Speakers & mentors
3
Days in Addis Ababa
10+
Masterclasses
10K+
Expected visitors
Bold ideas, brilliant makers.
Featured speakers
Watch the panels.
Every panel, keynote and masterclass from the festival floor published on our YouTube channel.
Creators & artists
Visual arts, film, music, fashion, performance.
Tech builders
AI, gaming, XR, digital design, animation.
Founders & creative startups
Entrepreneurs building Africa's next creative companies.
Investors & industry leaders
Champions shaping the creative economy.
Culture lovers & global visitors
Anyone inspired by African creativity.
The change makers
Policy makers, educators and students bridging the gap to the future.
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“Africa has what the world wants. What we need to do is package it in a way that's meaningful continentally — and monetize it globally.”
“Before, you could be extremely talented and still take years to be heard. Now, it only takes a second to be discovered.”
“Creative monetization starts with mindset — understanding how, where, and why you capture value, and building a real system around it.”
“We account for not even 3% of the global value of this industry, and only 5.3% of global publishing — though we claim to be the heartbeat of storytelling.”
From the blog
See what's happening now.
Inside the CRAFT Addis Panel: 'Designer Voices'
How African designers move beyond aesthetics to influence culture, responsibility, and global positioning; on their own terms.
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A Creator Can Build an Audience. A Brand Has to Build Meaning.
Inside the CRAFT Addis Panel: 'From Creator to Global Brand'. A conversation with Colin Gayle on what it takes to turn an African creator into a global brand that lasts.
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Africa's Creative Economy Isn't a Culture Story Anymore. It's an Infrastructure Story.
Inside the CRAFT Addis main panel: Meraf Markos, Andisa Ntsubane, Jocelyne Muhutu-Remy and Zelalem Woldemariam on the systems Africa needs to turn creativity into jobs, exports and global competitiveness.
Read the story →
Our sponsors
A huge thank you to the institutions, brands, and cultural organisations who make CRAFT Addis possible by backing Africa's creative economy.
Core Partners
Media Partners
