For many South African creators, the challenge is no longer getting started, but it's turning creative work into something sustainable. Questions around income and visibility, and long-term relevance, are becoming just as important as whether or not you have talent.
Part Two of this Q&A with Bianca Sibya, Canva's Marketing Lead for Africa, focuses on where creators can go next, exploring how creative work is translating into careers, new forms of income and influence beyond local borders.
You have mentioned Africa's economic potential. How do you see creativity becoming a driver of income and employment, and what should South African creators in specific focus on to turn their work into sustainable revenue?
Africa's creative economy is booming, and there's huge potential ahead. For South African creators, the biggest opportunities lie in building strong, distinctive brands that thrive beyond local borders.
Digital platforms have made it possible for creators to earn globally from right here at home. Canva's Creator Programme, for example, allows designers to earn international income by publishing templates and digital assets used by millions of people.
At the same time, diversifying income streams like client work, digital products and teaching, creates stability and resilience.
The most successful creators tend to treat their creativity like a business: building a consistent visual identity, solving real problems for their audience and staying curious about emerging trends.
With a blend of creativity and entrepreneurship, South African creators can turn local talent into sustainable global success.
What opportunities do you see for local South African creators to use visual storytelling to shift global narratives about the continent?
There's a huge opportunity here. Global audiences are craving more authentic, grounded perspectives, and South African creators can deliver exactly that. By blending global aesthetics with local humour, culture and identity, creators can produce work that feels both fresh and deeply rooted.
We see it every day on Canva: when local stories are told with global-quality tools, they travel further. The more creators show modern life through design and content, the more they help shift outdated narratives to ones full of creativity, innovation and optimism.
As Canva deepens its footprint in Africa, new creative roles and micro-industries are emerging. Which unexpected or unconventional creative career paths do you believe African creators should start paying attention to now and why?
One major opportunity is in template and digital-asset design. Through platforms like the Canva Creator Programme, as I've mentioned, African designers can now earn globally by selling templates, graphics and brand kits – a scalable income stream that didn't exist a few years ago.
We're also seeing the rise of AI-assisted creators. Those who know how to blend their own style with AI tools can produce high-quality content quickly, making them incredibly valuable to brands and small businesses.
Finally, brand-building for solopreneurs and startups is booming. As more Africans launch side hustles and personal brands, there's growing demand for creators who can deliver full brand identities – from logos to social kits to pitch decks.
These roles show how African creators are using new tools within Canva to build modern, global careers from anywhere.
Did you enjoy this Q&A? Let us know in the comments section below.
*Image courtesy of contributor and Canva