As a global diaspora seeks to connect, protect, and platform African culture, a new market for art from across the continent has emerged. With luxury buyers increasingly interested in values-based purchasing, how can brands support and amplify the growing interest in art from the region?

Art has long served as a form of protest, and as Americans face constraints on their freedoms, a growing number are seeking creative ways to voice their dissent and demand change. How is the digital landscape impacting this mode of self-expression? And what role can art play in modern citizenship?

Lost memories and limited narratives are the driving forces behind many of the digital archives springing up across Africa. Led by filmmakers, artists, and activists, these projects have the capacity, if supported, to contribute to the continent’s creative, cultural, and economic growth.

From sci-fi-inspired touch screens to the rise of algorithmic art, artistic thought plays a greater role in creating the future than might first be apparent. Canvas8 spoke to cultural researcher and author Alex Quicho about the role creative discipline plays within pop culture and innovation.