MAURITIUS BEAU PLAN SMART CITY
© Beau Plan
© MediaCity Mauritius
Beau Plan is forging strong ties to the creative and cultural industries to power its economic development . This may sound like a risky gamble , but the sector ’ s growth internationally suggests otherwise . In France alone , the creative and cultural industries generate 91.4 billion euros in direct and indirect income per annum and employ 635,000 people [ 1 ]. They also account for 3 % of global GDP . Based on these figures , Mauritius ’ prospects look highly promising .
It must be said that the country has seen a cultural boom over the past several years . Countless events have underlined the island ’ s cultural wealth and creative potential , from exhibitions to gallery openings , artistic encounters and festivals of every description ... This economic manna must be encouraged if it is to benefit the wider population . The emergence of sustainable creative industries in the country could give rise to new types of employment , education and training ; improve social integration ; and give the tourism industry a much-needed boost .
For this reason , Beau Plan ' s Smart City is integrating creative industries into its masterplan in two different ways . First , by developing a Creative Park – a space dedicated to creativity and to promoting the arts , in which artists and craftspeople can meet and work . Beau Plan is already offering individual artists tailored support to help them reach their full potential .
© Beau Plan
Second , by investing in key partnerships in the cultural and creative industries , including SMEs , event organisers and regional and international investors for instance . This second strand of work is already underway .
An example is the forthcoming MediaCity Mauritius , which officially announced its partnership with Novaterra – and its future establishment in Beau Plan – in April 2021 . This ambitious project aims to develop an integrated media ecosystem in Mauritius by attracting international companies and creating a state-of-the-art training centre for the creative professions . The ultimate aim is to capture emerging opportunities on the African continent . Following several months of dialogue with Novaterra and the Economic Development Board , the MediaCity should start offering training through its university campus in 2022 , and welcoming international media and production companies by 2024 . It offers a glimpse of the enormous opportunities that the sector could represent for Mauritius in terms of job creation , international influence , foreign direct investment ... Watch this space !
© Joel Capillaire
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