A dreamer called Paulo Chibanga

When we think about the national cultural identity and try to pick a few agents in the field, it is hard not to single out Paulo Chibanga, producer, musician and cultural entrepreneur. Multi-talented, with a degree in architecture and always with an open mind, he was founding members of 340ml, one of the most iconic and cult Mozambican bands of all time, discovered by Sony Music.

Producer, musician and cultural entrepreneur, Paulo Chibanga is a pioneer in promoting Mozambican culture.

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A wide range of experience in the national and international music industry led him to set up the biggest musical event in the country, the Azgo Festival — a platform that brings global artists to Mozambique and elevates Mozambican artists to this iconic place. But it’s not just about the music, it has a real impact on the cultural economy, moving around 18 million meticais in each edition. After a three-year interruption as a result of COVID-19, the event is expected to return this year, while an entire sector learns to walk again — an example of resilience that Chibanga learned at home. “Above all, I greatly admire my father’s audacity as the first black engineer assigned by President Samora Machel to the Cahora Bassa Dam project. I also always listened and followed the stories of my uncle Ricardo Chibanga, not only as a great bullfighting figure, but also as an inspiration for great artists such as Salvador Dali and Picasso who drew inspiration from him for some of their works”, he says.

The truth is that he is a pioneer in the promotion of Mozambican culture. Today, the so-called creative industries sector is developing visibly and Chibanga believes that it will give space to new national artists. “I see a sector that, even with its various nuances, is in constant growth and with new trends. After COVID-19, we had a boom in terms of new creations and new artists in different expressions such as music, theater, film or visual arts”, he said. But he also notes that there is a need to improve the quality of the creative product, with better preparation in terms of packaging and access to markets and financing. “Furthermore, I think creative mobility should be supported so that, at least internally, artists can travel and exhibit their projects”, he considers.

As a way of responding to the impulse that this sector is experiencing, the creative X-HUB emerged, a creative business incubator that responds exactly to this need that Mozambican creatives have to understand the business and the potential of art and culture as an income generator and as a catalyst for unity and social cohesion.

Through the www.azgofestival.com platform, he noticed that many artists still work informally without agents, managers and invoicing. From there came the idea of setting up ​​a space that serves as a one-stop shop for all the specific needs of creative artists, from creation, communication and image. “I dreamed of a space that we could enter and, like the festival, have all the solutions in one place that also created an opportunity for creative artists to be all in one place”. And the fruits? They ripen with time.

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X-HUB is an incubator that promises to impact creative businesses.

Producer, musician and cultural entrepreneur, Paulo Chibanga is a pioneer in promoting Mozambican culture.

Edição 77 Jan/Fev| Download.