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— by maibrahimblog In the ever-evolving tapestry of our global community, the threads of cultural exchange have become the lifeblood of the creative economy. Like a symphony of diverse voices, the stories and experiences of migrants have the power to transform how we perceive and appreciate art, music, and literature. Introduction Migration, like most things, has existed since the existence of the earth. If you have any religious sentiments, the first created human, Adam, and his counterpart, Eve, were the first migrants; from the Garden of Eden to earth. On the other hand, if you are without religious inclinations, then the Primates (the first evidence of humanity), the ancestors of current humans, moved per the requirements of their needs. The needs of Primates during  “the Miocene Epoch were characterized by major global climatic changes … that led to more seasonal conditions …  stimulated novel adaptations involving locomotion” (Britannica 2024). Migration is the relocation of people from one place to another either permanently or temporarily: “Since the earliest times, humanity has been on the move. Some people move in search of work or economic opportunity, to join family, or to study. Others move to escape conflict, persecution, or large-scale human rights violations. Still others move in response to the adverse effects of climate change, natural disasters or other environmental factors” (UN 2024). The Role of Migrants in Creative Industries “The current global estimate is that there were around 281 million international migrants in the world in 2020 … which equates to 3.6 percent of the global population” (IOM 2024). Typical of any creation, whether human or animal; migrants tend to move with their personal effects, in other words, their culture. These cultural effects; arts, storytelling, writing, language, drama, food, religion, music, dance, oral traditions, laws, capabilities, habits, symbols, architecture, etc are transported and wholly practiced or practiced in part or adulterated with cultures of the new place of settlement. Currently, migrants transmit culture and arts through the creative economy. Fostering Inclusivity in the Creative Economy The term creative economy is relatively new. Thus it is not exactly defined: “In some countries, the definitions revolve closely around the arts and culture. Other countries have broader definitions that include, for example, food and gastronomy on the basis that food and cuisine have both economic and cultural significance” (Newbigin, 2012). “There is no single definition of creative economy, and the different definitions usually overlap” (UNEN, 2024). However, the creative economy which is at the heart of the creative industry ( “ the cycles of creation, production, and distribution of goods and services that use creativity and intellectual capital as primary inputs” (UNEN, 2024) ) can be defined as making innovative use of cultural aspects with (or without) technology for economic gains. Thus the United Nations Economist Network (UNEN, 2024), says “The creative economy (also known as the orange economy) is an evolving concept based on the contribution and potential of creative assets to contribute to economic growth and development. It embraces economic, cultural, and social aspects interacting with technology, intellectual property, and tourism objectives.” “By 2024, the global creative economy market could reach $1T” (Sokolova, 2012). Economic Contributions of Diverse Artistic Perspectives The question is, “How do migrants shape arts and culture through the creative economy?” Through art, food, music, writing, fashion, language, sense of humour (comedy/stand-up comedy), etc migrants have been shaping cultures; and currently increasingly with the help of content creators and bloggers. A few cultural aspects that have become the subject of cultural exchange and the creative economy are visual arts, performing arts, and literary arts. Arts fall under culture. It encompasses visual arts (paintings, drawings, filming, architecture, etc), performing arts (music, dance, theatre), and literary arts (fiction, drama, poetry, prose). The UN Peace Window by Marc Chagall. Marc Chagall is among the notable visual artists in the world. He was born Moishe Shagal. He was of Jewish ancestry born in part of the Russian Empire (currently Belarus) in July 1887. He influenced French culture with (his modernist art ideology containing Jewish folklore) the establishment of the Ecole de Paris, stained glass windows for Notre-Dame de Reims Cathedral, Metz Cathedral, Fraumünster in Zürich, windows for the UN, Art Institute of Chicago, the Jerusalem Windows and a large-scale painting for the Paris Opera (Wikipedia, 2024). Music & dance Jazz and hip hop (rap) are among the well-known American music genres in the world. These two music art forms are very much like the Takamba of Mali and the appellations accompanied by the fomtomfrom of the Ghanaian drum, respectively. Thus these musical forms are believed to have been transferred by enslaved Africans to the Americans. The Ghanaian fontomfrom drum “The elements that make jazz distinctive derive primarily from West African musical sources as taken to the North American continent by slaves, who partially preserved them against all odds in the plantation culture of the American South” (Britannica, 2024). Ballet/Dancing en pointe (on toe) is a precise dance originating from Italy. It was transported to France when Catherine of Medici of Italy married the French King Henry II;  “From Italian roots, ballets in France and Russia developed their own stylistic character. By 1850 A ballet troupe. Russia had become a leading creative center of the dance world, and as ballet continued to evolve, certain new looks and theatrical illusions caught on and became quite fashionable” (Atlanta Ballet, 2024).  Salsa from Eastern Cuba, is another dance form that has been transported through migration. Food Pizza, spaghetti, and cheese were originally Italian foods that were world favourites. They are among the Italian cultures delivered to the world through migration. Pizza is a flat-round dish made from dough etymologically from “Pitta”, Greek for baked dough. It has become part of the world’s favorite foods. It originated in Gaeta (then part of the Byzantine Empire), Italy in 997 AD (Wikipedia, 2024). Yoghurt is another dairy product conveyed through migration from Turkey;  “Its first known appearance was during the Neolithic period (around 5,000 BC) in Mesopotamia. That makes yogurt well over 7,000 years old! It’s believed that,