The Craft and Design Institute

The Craft and Design Institute The CDI is a non-profit company with 25 years of success in developing creative people, SMEs and the

The CDI is a non-profit company with 20 years of experience successfully growing local creative businesses. We support the development of start-up, established and exporting enterprises, operating in urban, peri-urban and rural areas, in craft, design, light manufacturing and related sectors where design can commercialise innovation. Our services help businesses develop the right product for the r

ight market using appropriate business and production systems; and we link entrepreneurs into ever expanding national and international networks of market opportunities, putting them on a growth and profitability path.

20/08/2026

🌸 Women Who Lead | Elk

Growing creative businesses. Building sustainable livelihoods.

This , we're shining a spotlight on Erica Elk, CEO of the The Craft and Design Institute (CDI), whose leadership has helped strengthen South Africa’s craft, design and creative entrepreneurship ecosystem for more than two decades.

A visual artist by training, Erica brings together creativity, business development and strategic thinking to support creative entrepreneurs and strengthen the wider creative economy.

Since its establishment, CDI has worked to move creative businesses from the margins into the mainstream by providing market, product and business development support. Over the past decade alone, CDI has leveraged approximately R200 million in direct investment into 1,200 SMMEs, contributing to the creation of 4,960 sustainable jobs and generating more than R420 million in additional investment.

With thousands of creative businesses in its network, CDI demonstrates how investing in creative entrepreneurs can translate creativity and innovation into sustainable businesses, livelihoods and economic opportunity.

Erica's journey reminds us that building a creative economy isn't only about talent, it is also about access, business support, markets and the systems that allow creative entrepreneurs to thrive.

Celebrating the women whose leadership is shaping South Africa's cultural and creative future

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📢 TODAY'S THE DAY!Beyond the Prompt: AI for Creative Practice & Business kicks off at 13:00 and we can't wait to have yo...
19/08/2026

📢 TODAY'S THE DAY!

Beyond the Prompt: AI for Creative Practice & Business kicks off at 13:00 and we can't wait to have you join us!

After the panel, don't miss your Demo & Discussion session — a hands-on deep dive with the expert of your choice:

⚙️ Zahur Ameeroedien — Agentic Workflows for the Creative Practice
🎬 Ryan Stevenson — AI Video Production: Prompt to Polish
🎥 Lars Espeter — The AI Promise and Production Reality

⌚ Time: 13:00 – 15:00
📍 Location: CDI Office, Suite 1.1, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

Can't make it in person?
You can still catch the panel discussion (13:00–14:00) via livestream: https://shorturl.at/6YGkD

Please Note: the livestream covers the panel only. Demo & Discussion sessions are in-venue exclusively.

📢 THERE'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER! AI is no longer a novelty in the creative industries. It's becoming part of how compet...
17/08/2026

📢 THERE'S STILL TIME TO REGISTER!

AI is no longer a novelty in the creative industries. It's becoming part of how competitive creative businesses operate.

💡Hear from Zahur Ameeroedien, Ryan Stevenson and Lars Espeter on how they've integrated AI into their workflows and studio operations.

✅ Then choose ONE of three Demo & Discussion sessions to attend, hosted by our panel experts.

📅Date: Wednesday, 19 August
⌚Time: 13:00 – 15:00
📍Venue: CDI Office, Suite 1.1, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

🔗 Register now to secure your spot: https://shorturl.at/YOtrU

📱 Turn Views into Customers: TikTok for Business The Western Cape Government invites MSMEs to join a free webinar as par...
14/08/2026

📱 Turn Views into Customers: TikTok for Business

The Western Cape Government invites MSMEs to join a free webinar as part of the Webinar Series 2 — helping businesses improve productivity, reach more customers, and stay competitive.

🗓️ Thursday, 20 August 2026
🕘 09:00 – 10:00
💻 Microsoft Teams

This practical online session introduces simple, low-cost digital tools and strategies you can apply immediately to your marketing and operations.

What you'll learn:
✅ How to tap into the TikTok market to grow your business
✅ Audience engagement and content creation strategies
✅ Brand building and advertising on TikTok
✅ Trend utilisation and lead generation
✅ Performance tracking and real-world success stories

Presenter: Zethu Mthethwa, Head of Sales, Sub-Saharan Africa at TikTok, leads Global Business Solutions across the region — helping brands drive measurable results through culture, community and creativity.

📌 Registration closes 18 August — don't miss out!

👉 Register here: https://shorturl.at/JiXM5

Still deciding which Demo & Discussion session to choose at "Beyond the Prompt" on 19 August? Swipe through to meet the ...
14/08/2026

Still deciding which Demo & Discussion session to choose at "Beyond the Prompt" on 19 August? Swipe through to meet the three practitioners running them. ⬇️

⚙️ Zahur Ameeroedien (Thingking Studio) — Building AI Agents for Creative Practice
An inside look at how one Cape Town studio built its own AI agents — running studio admin and powering installations — without a full-time developer.

🎬 Ryan Stevenson (RS.D) — AI Video Production: Prompt to Polish
A live demo of AI video and image generation, from simple prompts to complex ones, and how to build a workflow that stays consistent and on-brand.

🎥 Lars Espeter (GDoutsourcing) — The AI Promise and Production Reality
A grounded look at where vibe-coding and generative AI hold up in real production, and where they fall apart — with examples from major brands who've hit the same wall.

Choose one when you register.

📆: Wednesday, 19 August
⌚: 13:00 – 15:00
📍: CDI, Suite 1.1, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

Register here: https://shorturl.at/OnAdL

‼️ As seats are limited, please only register if you're confident you can attend in-venue.

Meet Buhle Ramalepa, founder of PATNS by Buhle. What began as an instinctive form of pattern-making - a way to express h...
13/08/2026

Meet Buhle Ramalepa, founder of PATNS by Buhle.

What began as an instinctive form of pattern-making - a way to express herself and find calm - has grown, through persistence and the support of CDI's enterprise programmes, into a business turning everyday objects into functional works of art.

That journey recently led to a meaningful milestone: recognition as a Woolworths Youth Makers 2026 recipient.

This Women's Month, we're celebrating women in our community who lead with vision and determination and we're kicking off the series with Buhle's story - read more here: https://shorturl.at/D6ySZ

This is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we'll be sharing more stories of women in our community turning craft and creativity into thriving businesses.

Know a woman in craft and design who inspires you? Tag her below — we'd love to celebrate her too. And follow along so you don't miss the rest of the series.

✨ CREATIVE EXCHANGE INVITATION ✨BEYOND THE PROMPT: AI FOR CREATIVE PRACTICE & BUSINESSAI is rapidly changing the way cre...
12/08/2026

✨ CREATIVE EXCHANGE INVITATION ✨

BEYOND THE PROMPT: AI FOR CREATIVE PRACTICE & BUSINESS

AI is rapidly changing the way creative work is conceptualised and produced. At this Creative Exchange (CX), three Cape Town practitioners share what they've learnt integrating AI into their workflows and studio operations – the tools, the shortcuts and the mistakes worth skipping.

💬 Come and listen to Ryan Stevenson (RS.D), Zahur Ameeroedien (Thingking Studiio) and Lars Espeter (GDoutsourcing) share their perspectives on how using Artificial Intelligence has leveraged their creative workflows and day-to-day operations. An honest conversation about where AI genuinely helps a creative business, and where it doesn't.

Then choose one Demo & Discussion session to go deeper:

⚙️ The AI Promise and Production Reality — with Lars Espeter
A grounded look at where vibe-coding and generative AI hold up in real production, and where they fall apart — with examples from major brands who've hit the same wall.

🎬 AI Video Production: Prompt to Polish — with Ryan Stevenson
A live demo of AI video and image generation, from simple prompts to complex ones, and how to build a workflow that stays consistent and on-brand.

⚡ Agentic Workflows for the Creative Practice — with Zahur Ameeroedien
Drawing on real-world examples from Thingking Studio, explore how AI agents support creative and technical workflows, automate tasks and power interactive experiences.

📅 Date: Wednesday, 19 August
🕐 Time: 13:00 – 15:00
📍 Venue: CDI, Suite 1.1, 1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront

👉 Register here: https://shorturl.at/JzZ9W

As seats are limited, please only register if you're confident you can attend in-venue.

📢 More time, same opportunity: CDI Alumni Boost! deadline extendedWe've pushed the application deadline to Monday, 10 Au...
05/08/2026

📢 More time, same opportunity: CDI Alumni Boost! deadline extended

We've pushed the application deadline to Monday, 10 August, giving CDI Alumni businesses a few more days to apply.

What's on offer:
📌 Grant funding to catalyse business growth and job creation
📌 A technical assistance grant
📌 An interest-free loan of up to R250,000
📌 Mentorship and business development support

💡 This programme is open to CDI Alumni — members who've participated in a previous CDI programme (such as NEXT, SCALE, Design Lab, OCD, Timbuktoo or market access platforms) and/or used our services extensively.

Successful applicants will be invited to a Framework Workshop on Tuesday, 12 August, with details shared directly with shortlisted businesses.

Know a fellow CDI alumnus who hasn't applied yet? Tag them or share this post.

🔗 For more info and to apply: https://shorturl.at/IS3Xn

Address

1st Floor, Cape Town Cruise Liner Terminal, V&A Waterfront
Cape Town
8002

Telephone

+27214611488

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