Joy Mawela

Joy Mawela is a South African creative industries executive, producer and business development strategist with 20+ years of experience across Africa and international creative markets, specialising in animation, digital creative industries, gaming, XR, film, television and transmedia. Her expertise spans business development, fundraising, incubation and acceleration, intellectual property, market access, co-productions and international partnerships. She has led major creative industry initiatives through the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct and National Film and Video Foundation, including animation development and internship programmes, Digital Lab Africa, Fak’ugesi African Digital Innovation Festival and gaming incubation, while building partnerships across Africa and Europe. Her international expertise includes engagement with leading global animation, film, digital arts and creative technology platforms, including Annecy International Animation Film Festival, IDFA, NewImages Festival, KIKK Festival and FAME Week Africa. She has served as a jury member for IDFA and the S+T+ARTS Africa Prize, and has contributed to industry governance and development through board roles with Lawyers for the Arts South Africa and Literacy for Life, as well as advisory roles on the DTIC Film and TV Incentive Adjudication Committee and the KZN Tourism and Film Authority Film Distribution Panel. Through Transmedia Studios and Kano Lethabo Productions, Joy specialises in designing and delivering accelerator and incubation programmes supported by global development and industry partners, including GIZ, Expertise France and others, connecting African creative talent and enterprises to skills, investment, strategic partnerships and international markets, with a particular focus on animation and digital creative industries.