Some players in the arts sector have called for increased support from the government.
The players, including artists, researchers, and art advocates, said the sector’s potential for economic growth remained untapped due to the lack of attention and investment, particularly from the government.
Speaking with the Ghana News Agency at the ongoing Chale Wote Street Art Festival in Accra, they urged the government to increase funding support to arts education, periodic regional festivals, and create avenues for marketing of artwares.
“We don’t give attention to arts from the economic, social, and cultural perspective because of the stigma attached to arts in society. So, the potential of the arts is not realised, but it’s a ‘gold mine’, Madinatu Bello, an art Researcher at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) said.
“The global north is relying on the arts (cultural and creative industry) to build a sustainable economy, and it’s contributing a lot to their Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but we’re not doing that,” she added.
To change the situation, Ms Bello called for research practice, community engagement, and a refocus of the minds of Ghanaians to appreciate arts and its potential in increasing revenue, foreign exchange and job creation.
“We must decolonise our minds and look at the numerous positives of the arts in creating wealth and jobs, contribution to overall economic growth, and acting as a medium to achieve the other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” she said.
Ms Eva Seraphim Tandoh Quansah, also an Arts Researcher, asked that arts be inculcated into Ghana’s educational system, especially at the basic level, and encouraged the young ones with the potential to embrace it.
“We used to have technical schools, which have now been converted into secondary technical, and most of the students are shying away from technical and arts subjects, and this won’t augur well for the country,” the arts advocate said.
David Nyemah, an artist, said they needed a lot of support from the government, noting that should the government see the need to ‘pump’ money into the arts industry, it would eventually contribute to economic growth.
“Despite the enormous economic potential, many artists in Ghana don’t get the needed attention and support, including infrastructure, and marketing channels like Chalewote. All these must be addressed,” Nyemah said.
“On our own, we look out for exhibitions to attend and showcase our works and use social media to promote them,” the artist, who has been practicing for the past three years after his Senior High School education, said.
Junior Justice, also an artist, explained that the prices of most of the materials they used were costly and imported, which contributed to the finished work being expensive, especially to many Ghanaians, who admired their works.
He, therefore, urged the government to create the enabling environment for Ghanaian companies to produce those items locally to grow the sector.
