By Hafsa Obeng
Accra, Oct. 3, GNA – The National Theatre of Ghana (NTG) has organised the first-ever Annual Conference of the Performing Arts (ACPA) in Ghana in line with the Theatre’s mandate to develop and promote the Performing Arts in Ghana.
The two-day conference on the theme: “We Have Value: Building Bridges to Success” seeks to bring together Performing artists, academia and practitioners from the diaspora for an intersectional conversation on how the Performing Arts could be used to shape and transform the social, political, economic and cultural life of societies in Africa.
Mr Mark Okraku Mante, Deputy Minister of Tourism Arts and Culture commended the Theater for the tremendous effort put in coming up with such an initiative would help transform the fortunes of the industry in the very near future.
He said the culture and the creative arts industry over the years was seen as a group of people who only come
together to enjoy, and it was time to change that narrative.
Mr Okraku Mante said policies introduced by the government on culture and creative arts must receive the needed attention and be seen as policies and not just entertainment.
“The African Free Trade Area has given us an opportunity as people in the creative industry. The African market is big enough to promote our culture and arts because it is the biggest trade area in the world.”
The Deputy Minister said, “The creative arts industry is a commercial environment, so we must begin to see the space as a place to make money and not just for fun.”
He said the government over the years had put in a lot of interventions to support the sector and urged practitioners to take advantage of the conference, be true to themselves in their discussions, and make contacts that would give them the numbers they were looking for in terms of money.
Nana Fredua Agyemang, Board Chairman, NTG said the National Theatre was bound by the laws that created it to do many more other than provide entertainment space, and it was one of those objectives or assignments that had brought about the conference.
He said it was their responsibility to promote and develop the performing arts sector from a state perspective. “Our vision is to be the beacon of the Performing Arts for Ghana”
He said the ACPA recognized that the industry must have a communication platform that would allow practitioners to crystallize collective new ideas, create and push supportive policy, for both public and private, and appreciate socioeconomic, cultural and technological changes.
“We also recognize that a formal link between the Ghanaian performing arts industry, and the international society of the performing arts should be developed from a team perspective, not only as individual entities.”
He said there must also be continuously synergized efforts to project the strengths and opportunities of the industry to get a total buy-in first by the Ghanaian and subsequently by the international public. “This is needed and must be created and led by the National Theatre.”
The Board Chairman said the conference would serve as a new platform to communicate. “During the two days, a variety of thoughts by panellists will set the tone for everyone to bring forth their ideas. “No idea is a bad idea” is the mantra we will operate by.”
“We need to recognize and raise issues around the fact that in as much as we as individuals want fame and fortune, our biggest strength is when we seek it together, particularly on the international front. Today let us launch a formal relationship between performing arts practitioners and partners that allows us to brand our works in a manner that links us together on the international stage.”
Nana Agyemang charged practitioners to communicate the kinds of standards and issues that would bring them closer together with the Ghanaian audience. “Our energies should be directed toward making Ghanaians want us, regard us, and pay us for what we are worth.”
“We must finish this conference with a new attitude of being proactive and positive about what the performing arts can offer Ghana, Ghanaians and practitioners. Sponsors and financiers must leave knowing they owe it to Ghana to invest in the performing arts.
Some topics to be discussed during the conference include arts education and arts in education, performing arts and business, health for performing artists, international collaboration and cultural exchange policies, and arts and law.
Others include unveiling the creative process: the role of your money, artists, tax and Ghana Revenue Authority, technology and the Performing Arts, art economy, and policy for supporting traditional and contemporary arts among others.
There would also be a theatre performance dubbed “A Night of Gratitude and Appreciation.”
GNA