Govt releases GH¢1 million for creative arts
The government has made available GH¢1million as grant to support the creative arts industry in 2016.
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The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, said the selection of beneficiaries for the grant would strictly be devoid of political considerations.
Second tranche
At a meeting with stakeholders in the creative arts industry in Cape Coast , Mrs Ofosu-Agyare said the amount was the second tranche of a GH¢3 million grant promised the creative arts industry by President John Dramani Mahama.
She said the government was committed to developing the industry to help its stakeholders reap maximum proceeds from their work and significantly contribute to national development.
She stated that the government would also support the training of 3,000 youth in the industry this year to acquire skills that would make them self-reliant.
She added that the Creative Arts Bill was before Parliament and would be passed soon to help streamline activities of the industry’s players for the growth and development of the industry.
She said a secretariat for the creative arts industry to coordinate the activities of the industry would also be established by July this year.
She gave the assurance that the ministry would assist organisations that supported the training of the youth with employable skills to train more of the youth.
Youth mentorship
Mrs Ofosu-Agyare urged the groups to form amateur groups and mentor the youth to take up professions in the creative arts industry in the future.
The Central Regional Director of the Centre for National Culture, Ms Christiana Oparebea, urged creative arts groups to work together to be able to access the grant for training and development.
The stakeholders, particularly, called for support for the development of the film industry in the Central Region.