This month has been a busy one for the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct.

The organisation has signed official partnership agreements with the French National Audiovisual Institute (INA) and the French Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers of Music (SACEM).

The partnership will reportedly allow the hub to create meaningful connections between the French market and the local creative digital ecosystem.

“We’re delighted to be able to propel entrepreneurship and grow the skills pipeline for the digital economy through collaboration while combining technology innovation and creative content,” chief executive at the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct, Lesley Williams said of the partnerships.

The hub and INA plan to continue the fruitful relationship following a successful hackathon and content production around new archive collections in 2018.

“INA has built successful partnerships with the South African Republic in regard to archives preservation and professional trainings. INA is now thrilled to sign an agreement with Tshimologong Precinct, an ambitious incubator guided by objectives,” says Laurent Vallet, CEO at INA.

Regarding SACEM, together with Tshimologong the pair will pursue training courses, seminars and workshops. These activities will focus on author rights, management of intellectual property rights in our digital era.

“SACEM, with thousands of its composers and songwriters having cultural bonds with Africa, is committed to contributing to and promoting the creation and authors’ rights in Africa. Hence SACEM works closely with its African sister societies,” CEO at SACEM, Jean-Noël Tronc said in a media statement.

The SACEM CEO concluded by saying, “We are thrilled by the perspectives of the cooperation with the Digital Content Hub of Tshimologong to reinforce authors’ rights and copyright, and the virtues of collective management in Africa.”