Reframing creativity in the city: on the emergence of contemporary township creativity

Irma Booyens

doi:10.1080/00343404.2025.2495797

Reframing creativity in the city: on the emergence of contemporary township creativity

Irma Booyens

Work, Employment And Organisation

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This paper offers a provocation for reframing the spatiality of urban creativity by interrogating the groundswell of contemporary creativity in South African townships. Creativity in marginalised neighbourhoods such as townships does not fit dominant creative city narratives and global city aspirations. The literature is largely silent about creative work and spaces characterised by informality. This paper draws on critical urbanism emphasising the ‘ordinary’ and ‘informal’ to reinforce urban theory based on the neglected realities of Global South cities. The roles of tourism and actors in township creativity are examined and associated risks, vulnerabilities and potentialities are also considered.

Original language	English
Article number	2495797
Pages (from-to)	1-15
Number of pages	15
Journal	Regional Studies
Volume	59
Issue number	1
Early online date	22 May 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2025.2495797
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 May 2025

Funding

The three artist interviews (Project A) and focus groups (Project C) I draw on in this paper were undertaken with the support of the Understanding and Supporting Creative Economies in Africa: Education, Networks and Policy project funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (United Kingdom) and headed by Professor Roberta Comunian (King\u2019s College London) and Dr Brian J. Hracs (University of Southampton). The author thanks Arno Booyzen and Johann Booyens for their assistance with the figures.

Keywords

urban informality
creative cities
ordinary neighbourhoods
townships
creative entrepreneurs
cultural production

Access to Document

10.1080/00343404.2025.2495797Licence: CC BY 4.0

Booyens-RS-2025-Reframing-creativity-in-the-city-on-the-emergenceFinal published version, 662 KBLicence: CC BY 4.0

Artist mobilities, work and careers in South Africa
Booyens, I. (Principal Investigator)
1/11/18 → 28/02/23
Project: Projects from Previous Employment
Township creativity - creative economies and entrepreneurship
Booyens, I. (Principal Investigator)
1/08/18 → 31/10/22
Project: Projects from Previous Employment

Urban Studies Foundation workshop (hybrid): Urban Creativity in Africa
Booyens, I. (Invited speaker)
2023
Activity: Participating in or Organising an Event › Participation in workshop, seminar, course

Cite this

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Reframing creativity in the city: on the emergence of contemporary township creativity

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

Artist mobilities, work and careers in South Africa

Township creativity - creative economies and entrepreneurship

Activities

Urban Studies Foundation workshop (hybrid): Urban Creativity in Africa

Cite this