The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Catherine Ablema Afeku, has expressed her displeasure at the projection of music and filmmaking above other creative art forms
According to the minister, Ghanaians’ conception of the arts stems from the fact that people in movies and music are loud and are easily seen and heard.
She added that the absence of a database that captures the over hundred sectors of the Creative Arts Industry is another reason most arts disciplines have been consigned to the background.
“People are underestimating our industry to think it’s all about singing and acting just because of our limited imagination. The Creative Arts industry includes people drawing, people in fashion, sculpture and many other sectors. So we need to do stakeholder consultations so that we will get all actors in the industry,”
Speaking to Kofi Asante aka DJ Worshipper of A1 Radio in Bolgatanga, she also noted that “we are sitting here making noise because one or two people can sing or act so we should make creative arts about them.”
Catherine Afeku said plans were underway to collate data on the creative arts in order to have concrete information to work with.
The 2018 budget statement and economic policy highlighted government’s intention to make the creative sector more functional.
“Government will continue its initiatives to improve the Creative Arts sector with the establishment of a fully functional Creative Arts Secretariat and the commencement of feasibility studies to set up a Creative Arts Fund,” it states.
Apart from music and movies, other activities which fall under creative arts are photography, painting, sculpture, fashion, comedy, dance, poetry, creative writing, basketry, pottery, and others.
–
By: Kwame Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana