The Minister of Small Business Development, Ms Stella Tembisa Ndabeni, will officially launch the Creative Biz Fund in Soweto on 26 September 2026, signaling a strengthened focus on supporting creative enterprises and unlocking opportunities across South Africa’s thriving and growing creative economy.
The Fund follows focused consultative engagements with the sector, including the CreativeBiz Nexus held in Durban earlier this year, where the Department of Small Business Development, SEDFA and creative-sector stakeholders engaged on the business development needs and challenges facing creative entrepreneurs.
South Africa’s creative economy contributed approximately R271.2 billion to GDP in 2023 and supported around 1.4 million jobs, highlighting the sector’s significant contribution to economic activity and its potential for further enterprise development.The Creative Biz Fund will initially focus on three broad areas of the creative economy:Clothing, Textiles, Footwear and Leather – supporting fashion and textile enterprises across the value chain.
Music and Sound Recording – supporting businesses involved in music production and related activities.Content Economy – including film, television, immersive and digital media.The Fund will take an integrated approach that combines finance with technical assistance.
A key feature of the model is collaboration between industry and financial intermediaries to address some of the unique financing challenges faced by creative enterprises.The launch brings together government, creative practitioners, entrepreneurs, industry stakeholders and ecosystem partners to mark the next step in strengthening South Africa’s creative enterprise ecosystem. Prominent creatives will host masterclasses, sharing their experiences, insights and practical lessons on building sustainable careers and businesses in the creative economy.
Minister Stella Tembisa Ndabeni will deliver the keynote address, officially launching the Creative Biz Fund and setting out the government’s commitment to strengthening the creative economy
