The participants at the training
The National Commission on Culture (NCC) has organised a training programme for over hundred creative professionals in the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East regions.
Sponsored by the UNESCO-Aschberg Programme, the programme aims to empower artists through effective policy formulation and the establishment of a robust legal framework.
Speaking at the event held at the Centre for National Culture (CNC) in Kumasi, the Executive Director of NCC, Nana Otuo Owoahene Acheampong, said the programme was designed to enable industry players in the country to produce high-quality works. This will not only reflect their cultural heritage but also address contemporary social challenges.
Emphasising the importance of the capacity-building project, he noted, “The project has secured funding through the UNESCO-Aschberg programme for artists and cultural professionals, positioning us to empower artists through policy formulation and a robust legal framework.”
The initiative, according to him, was not only aimed at fostering creativity but also a step towards creating an environment where artists can thrive, ensuring that their voices are heard and their contributions are valued on both national and global stages.
Nana Owoahene Acheampong added that the NCC plans to train 400 emerging artists and creative professionals nationwide at four strategic centres.
“The conference will take place in four centres across the country at the following locations: Zone 1 Conference at Tamale (covering the Upper East, Upper West, Northern, North-East and Savannah regions), Zone 2 Conference at Kumasi (covering the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono and Bono East regions), Zone 3 Conference at Cape Coast/Sekondi (covering Central, Western and Western North regions) and Zone Four conference at Accra (covering Greater Accra, Eastern, Oti and Volta regions),” he said.
In his remarks, Dr. Richardson Fio Commey, Deputy Executive Officer in charge of operations at NCC, explained that the training programme seeks to provide requisite knowledge for artists within the performing and visual arts domains across the country on existing relevant policies and legal frameworks governing the culture and creative space in the country and beyond.
A United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) national expert, Benjamin Oduro Arhin Junior (alias Bnoskka), taught the participants on Topics such as; Overview of the Ghana Cultural Policy Review, drafting business plan – registration, funds, grants and sponsorship sourcing, overview of Intellectual Property in Ghana, piracy, copyright infringements, among others.
The capacity-building programme was on the theme, ‘Empowering Artists through Policy Formulation and Robust Legal Framework: An engagement with artists on inputs into culture policy, copyright and other relevant laws.’
FROM David Afum, Kumasi