LAUNCHING 2022
Young African Creatives Conference [YACC]
a coffee-table compendium of creative advice from African creatives who have shown they have a what it takes be a creative.
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Overview
The Young African Creative Conference serves as Africa's premier intelligence gathering on the continent's creative and cultural industries. Since 2017, YACC has convened the creatives, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem builders actually shaping Africa's CCi to decode its current state, challenges, and opportunities. From intimate Braamfontein panels exploring "Take Creative Control" to continental digital dialogues, the conference provides unfiltered insights from practitioners across film, design, publishing, music, and digital media. Rather than aspirational showcasing, YACC delivers honest assessment—what's working, what's broken, and what's next. Creative Nestlings' curatorial approach ensures conversations reflect lived realities of building creative careers and businesses across the continent, making YACC essential intelligence for anyone serious about understanding where Africa's creative economy actually stands.
Featured Creatives
2017: The Foundation YACC's inaugural edition at J&B Hive brought together 120 creatives for an intensive examination of African creative industries through six focused panels. The lineup read like a who's who of emerging continental voices: Lidudumalingani Mqombothi, whose literary work would soon achieve international acclaim; Uno de Waal from 10and5, shaping creative media discourse; Anthony Bila and Sindiso Nyoni exploring storytelling authenticity; designers Winnie Mulli, Siyanda Mbele, and Lazi Mathebula examining how design shapes African identity. The business conversations featured Lungisa Matshoba from YOCO, Mushambi Mutuma, Lethabo Mokoena, and Mawetu Soga dissecting creative entrepreneurship realities. Lonwabo Mavuso provided economic context while Cherae Robinson explored tourism's creative intersections.
2020: Continental Reach The digital pivot maintained YACC's curatorial excellence while expanding continental scope. Featured voices included Lulama Njapa, redefining travel writing from African perspectives; Josiane Faubert, whose PICHA Stock was revolutionizing Afrocentric visual narratives; and Phillipe Nyirimihigo, documenting Rwanda through international experience. The conversations deepened with Kenyaa Mzee representing South Africa at global art exhibitions, Ethiopian-raised Luladey bridging education and artistic practice, and Katlego Tshuma fresh from winning Nando's Hot Young Designer competition. Mental health advocate Bright Shitemi brought social innovation into focus, while illustrator Nosipho Nxele and social entrepreneur Shakirah Dramat expanded the creative economy conversation. Ghana's Aaron Yeboah Junior and BetterShared's Bennett completed a lineup that proved African creative excellence operates at international standards—YACC simply provided the platform for continental recognition.