PNG's creative industry highly innovative, revealed during APEC meet in Port Moresby

Australian High Commission Counsellor Economics, Dr. Chakriya Bowman, describe creative industries in Papua New Guinea as highly innovative.

Australian High Commission Counsellor Economics, Doctor Chakriya Bowman, describe creative industries in Papua New Guinea as highly innovative.

Dr Bowman made the remark during the launching of Real Impact’s digital market platform for Papua New Guinean SMEs under the creative industry to be able in selling their products to local and international buyers.

“One of the things I love about this project is the innovation in the creative industries with the women and men at the grassroots who are doing their traditional crafts but in a really exciting and innovative way to showcase their spectacular knowledge and tradition of Papua New Guinea to the world.”

She said the creative industry was new and needed support from the right partners, adding that the partnership between Real Impact and Papua New Guinea’s creative industry would provide ease in marketing their products and allow entrepreneurs to experience a boost in growth.

“It’s a really new industry, it’s something that hasn’t the right partners with and are essential too, and so it’s been really exciting to partner with Real Impact. This is just a really lovely compliment to build the momentum and to take the crafts of Papua New Guinea to the international market.”

Since the establishment of the partnership between Real Impact and the creative industry twelve months ago, numerous arts and crafts of Papua New Guinea have been sold to high-end vendors overseas.

Ms Bowman said this was the first time handcrafts were turned into highly valued home items.

“We’ve been working on this for probably about twelve months now. Real Impact is the right partners for us, and they’ve been able to take these beautiful products and lead them to some high-end retailers in the United States and Australia. This is the first-time that we’ve really taken these handcrafts and turned them into high-valued products which are now internationally demanded in designer homewares,” she said.

The partnership between Real Impact and the country’s creative industry is expected to continue on with collaborations between Australian international designers and highly skilled artisans in Papua New Guinea.

Press Release - APEC