Paper short abstract:

By conceptualizing art as integral to civil society and civil society to art, this paper considers the socio-political potential of artistic handicraft production. Too often this is overseen, especially in 'development' projects that emphasize economic benefits over conviviality and ownership.

Paper long abstract:

In the realm of artistic handicraft production of the 21st century, development and UNESCO agendas, private NGO’s and development actors the Global North often conceptualize artistic handicraft production as part of the cultural and creative industries (CCIs), which are debated as potential motor for economic development - especially in Africa (De Beukelaer, 2017).

But, do they really? Or are, as De Beukelaer (2017) suggests, thriving creative industries a consequence, rather than a driver of economic development? And should economic growth be the sole benefit? How do local handicraft artists conceptualize their products, which, historically, were a “vital aspect of living” (Nannyonga-Tamusuza, 2014: 126)?

Taking the questions above as a departure point, the proposed paper draws on findings from my dissertational research, in which I studied the meanings associated with artistic handicraft products among civil society actors in Uganda. In taking a feminist-postcolonial approach, I move beyond dominant concepts of 'art' and 'civil society', and empirically conceptualize them instead. The findings of my research find development work by and large to continue to follow their agendas grounded in epistemologies of the Global North rather than creating space for home grown approaches (Okereke & Agupusi, 2015), which limit the agency of artistic handicraft products to their economic values, which disregard their many social, historical and political functions. Rather than being primarily souvenir art, for many artisans they are, with the words of artist Jackie Katesi: “more of a companion, more of a friend, more of a hope, more of a sister”.