Constitution Hill, 28 March 2026 — NUMXN's Workshop on Open Calls, Artists and Creative Memory in African Digital Archives held at the 8th edition of the Human Rights Festival, became a revival point for the modern African creative economy. Set in a space shaped by the fight for justice, the conversation moved beyond creativity as an act or process but as a valuable asset to be protected.

 

Themed under the expression "Whose Work? Whose Rights?", the session covered the urgent issue of who truly owns creative work and explored a widening knowledge gap in relation to the digital space. For many African creators, making art is an instinctive, soulful process. Yet, institutions and archives designed to support them often have rigid rules. These rules always protect the system, and seldom protect the artist. This gap leaves creators legally voiceless. It pushes them to sign away their rights in open calls that reward institutions far more than they reward the artists themselves for their creative labour.

 

The workshop began by examining how artists engage with open calls. Through practical examples, it became clear that there is a need for stronger professionalism in this area—specifically, ensuring that artists read and respond to requirements diligently, present themselves with clarity and intention, understand the value proposition of the opportunity, and actively shape and articulate the narratives of their own work.

 

The session also explored questions of access, visibility, and the future of cross-border collaboration. With a focus on the South Africa–Botswana context, the discussion highlighted opportunities to strengthen collaboration through shared platforms, placing emphasis on building sustainable networks, improving access to information and resources across borders, and fostering long-term partnerships that support collective growth and regional visibility. It further addressed the importance of institutional responsibility, emphasising that organisations must avoid exploitative or extractive practices and instead operate in ways that are ethical, transparent and mutually beneficial for artists.

 

Perhaps the most eye-opening insight was the exposure of the "visibility trap." In today’s digital age, artists often mistake fleeting online fame for real success. The workshop revealed that visibility without ownership is just another way for others to profit from African creativity. Without strong intellectual property protection, artists become suppliers of culture for global platforms. They receive little in return but digital applause and short-lived attention. The session therefore underscored the importance of understanding copyright, credit and licensing. Artists were encouraged to retain clarity over ownership of their work, ensure that usage rights are explicitly defined in agreements, and advocate for proper attribution across all platforms. The discussion highlighted the need to engage critically with licensing terms, particularly in relation to reproduction, distribution, and commercial use, to prevent misuse and safeguard artistic integrity.

 

In the end, the workshop posed a reimagining of the artist’s place on the world stage. The path forward is to unite the magic of creation with the currency it deserves. The aim is not just to be seen. It is to ensure African artists stand on the foundation of true ownership. For those gathered at Constitution Hill, the message rang out. The next frontier in creative human rights is the right to shape and claim one’s own future.