By Darren Gilbert

The Wire will also spotlight Africa’s up-and-coming talented artists.

Shining a spotlight on Africa’s creative talent

Davin Phillips, executive director at CSA, explains, “At CSA, we do a lot of work in Africa, representing artists, and we came across many who hadn’t had the opportunity to showcase their workmanship. So The Wire is very much about that, showcasing and promoting Africa, not only to the continent but to the world as well.”

If there is a graffiti artist who is on the cusp of urban culture and is developing a following, he or she deserves to be showcased. The Wire will do that. Likewise, if an artist has a collaboration on the go or wants to get the word out to the public about their work, The Wire is there for them.

An exercise in practicing what they preach

As a platform that aims to be top of mind when it comes showcasing what Africa has to offer, it’s easy to assume that The Wire is an exercise in brand awareness for CSA. Phillips is adamant it’s not.

“There are millions of ways to build a business and make money,” he says. “But this is not the way for CSA. The Wire is run from an authentic standpoint and we are not going to contaminate that. Our head of content is Nadine Oosthuizen, who used to work for Rolling Stone and Elle US. If she feels like she wants to run a story, she can.”

“For us at CSA, it is rather about practicing what we preach,” says Phillips. “We say we are an influencer agency and that we influence the influencers. So why aren’t we promoting Africa and developing a platform that showcases the talent that the continent has on offer?”

A bright future for African talent

When it comes to future hopes for The Wire, Phillips is excited about the prospects.

“If we can surround ourselves with positive messaging and begin this movement of self-belief in ourselves and what we can create, who knows, maybe it will give someone the confidence to take action,” says Phillips. “I’d love to see someone who we spotlighted develop their careers through this.”

This is because this movement is bigger than CSA or even The Wire, a point which Phillips agrees with. “It’s a movement that is bigger than everyone.”

Africa has the talent to take on the world. It’s now about taking this opportunity to show the world what Africa has to offer them.

For more information, visit csa.global/the-wire. Alternatively, connect with CSA on Facebook or on Twitter using the #CSATheWire hashtag.