Music awards back to Conference Centre
It is official. The 13th edition of the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards (VGMA) will take place at the Accra International Conference Centre in Accra. The announcement this week by organisers, Charterhouse, puts to rest days of speculation as to where the event will be held this year.
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It will be the first time in four years that the VGMA, Ghana’s biggest entertainment event, is being hosted outside the Dome which over the years has been a venue of choice because of its spacious nature.
But looked from another angle, the movement of VGMA to the Conference Centre is like a homecoming for the prestigious event that used to be held there until four editions ago.
The popularity and demand for a bigger space, year after year for VGMA has seen it move from its birthplace, the 1200 capacity National Theatre from 2000 through 2003; to the 1600 capacity Accra International Conference Centre from 2004 to 2009; and then to the more spacious 3,000 capacity Dome.
This year, the Dome has been shut down for renovation and the VGMA has been obliged to return to the Conference Centre.
Of course the inconveniences in terms of space cannot be overlooked at this time that the event has become a must-see for a patronage that continues to grow.
For the very first time in the history of the VGMA, this year’s calendar of events opens with the Nominees Jam in Koforidua, the capital of the Eastern Region on Saturday, April 20.
With performances from some of this year’s nominees, the Koforidua Jackson Park is set to light up with its biggest event ever and admission is free.
Previous years have seen the jam train make stops in the Ashanti and Western Regional capitals of Kumasi and Takoradi respectively with great performances by some of the country’s best and most sought after musicians.
“Over the years, we have tried as much as possible to include other parts of Ghana in the celebration of what has come to be seen as Ghanaian music’s biggest event. This is to make the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards a real national experience. It is our belief that before long, the train for the Nominees Jam would have visited the whole country and who knows, the main awards night may one day see itself in a different city!” Executive Director of Charterhouse, Theresa Ayoade said.
This year’s Nominees Jam will be hosted by comedian, Funny Face and for those who cannot be present, the action can be watched live on GH-One Entertainment TV.
Next on the calendar is the VGMA stakeholders forum dubbed “Next Level Forum” scheduled for May 9, 2013. Venue for this forum is yet to be confirmed and as the theme suggests, discussions will be geared mainly toward the development and growth of the Ghana music industry, with arrangements currently in place to get top notch international music producers to be present to transfer knowledge to industry practitioners on how to take our music to the next level.
On the night of May 11, 2013, deserving artistes and some players in the Ghanaian music industry will be rewarded at the VGMA 2013 Industry Awards ceremony. The venue is yet to be confirmed.
The big one, the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards night takes place on May 18 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Between now and the main awards date, members of the the public may vote in various awards categories (Short code 1767) for deserving musicians.
By Graphic.com.gh