YOUNG AFRICAN CREATIVE NETWORK
Foundation.
Platform.
Creative Network.
democratising how young African creatives connect, learn, get paid and grow.
CREATIVE NESTLINGS IS A NETWORK.
A DEMOCRATISED GATHERING PLACE FOR YOUNG AFRICAN CREATIVES, CENTRED ON CREATIVITY, CURIOSITY, AND AN ENTREPRENEURIAL MINDSET. THAT’S A PRETTY OPEN DEFINITION, AND THAT’S HOW WE LIKE IT — WE KNOW THERE’S NO LIMIT TO WHAT AFRICAN CREATIVES ARE CAPABLE OF, AND WE WANT TO HELP FACILITATE YOUR SUCCESS.
We made a film 🙂
Zero To A Hundred is a new documentary telling a story of the state of creativity & entrepreneurship in South African cities.
“What does innovation mean to you?”“Ugh.”
In 2019, two South African platforms dedicated to community, creativity and representation – Creative Nestlings and Disorient – teamed up and set out to explore the question of what innovation means on African terms.
Moving between the cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town – South Africa’ main centers of opportunity and urbanization – they reached out to creators, entrepreneurs, and investors in different industries to find out what innovation means to them, what the state of opportunity is, and where it’s all going.
2 cities. 6 months. 20 creators.
The start of an African innovation story
us 🙂
What we do
As a network, Foundation, platform we are actively engaged in mapping and developing equitable creative and cultural industries in Africa.
Conversations On Creativity
Through our digital platforms, events, and annual conferences, we facilitate meaningful conversations among creatives, institutions, governments corporates & brands. These platforms serve as spaces for peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing, and resource exchange, enabling creatives to learn from each other and grow together.
young african creative network
We are building a vibrant network of young African creatives who are active in various cultural and creative industries. By fostering connections and collaborations, we create a supportive community that empowers creatives to thrive.
research & development
We prioritize research and development as a core part of our work. We gather data and insights on the creative and cultural industries, focusing on the needs and aspirations of young people. This information forms the foundation for our projects, resources, processes, and solutions aimed at improving the quality of life for young Africans.
COMMUNITY + EVENT MANAGEMENT PLATFORN
We're building a next-gen platform that combines community-building with event management. Users can easily organize events, manage invitations, handle tickets, and foster vibrant communities, all in one intuitive interface. Join us as we redefine event management and community engagement, one event at a time.
For creatives, we’re a gateway.
We exist to connect young African creatives to insight, industry, and each other, creating value they can use to build sustainable creative careers, creative careers, products and companies. We do this by sharing knowledge through our epic talks & conferences, interviews with creatives & entrepreneurs, podcasts, books, and creatives spaces, so they can learn, grow and get paid.
For industry, we’re a partner.
We provide businesses and institutions with strategic creative services & access to a growing network of multidisciplinary creative talent from across the continent on a platform that makes it easy to contact and hire them.
For everyone, we’re a research & development company. focused on the professional growth of young African creatives on the continent and throughout the diaspora.
Creativity as a tool for community-building.
Technology as a catalyst
Community as a enabler
"free events that brought together industry professionals and emerging creatives to meet and share knowledge. It was at these conversations that industry professionals and brands became accessible — where our heroes were revealed to be flesh and blood."