Koo Nimo’s music gets orchestral treatment

A five-member delegation from Ghana will participate  in the 3rd Arterial Network International Conference on the African Creative Economy  which opens tomorrow, October 6, in the South African city of Cape Town.

The creative industry has, without doubt, become one of the driving forces behind economies in several parts of the world.

Indeed, creative industries are among the most dynamic sectors in the world economy, providing new opportunities for developing countries to step into emerging high-growth areas of the world economy.

It will be recalled that in 2005 the government of Ghana included creative industries in the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy and for the first time, music and film were included in the budget of the Ministry of Tourism.

Again the Ministry of Trade included creative industries in its Micro Small and Medium Term Enterprises (MSME) programme funded by the World Bank in 2010, which helped finance diverse projects in the sector.

Against this backdrop, Ghana’s participation in the conference is expected to help empower and invigorate the sector with fresh ideas.

“The conference will definitely address the issue of an appropriate definition of what constitutes the creative economy in Africa. This will make it easier for governments and stakeholders to fashion out appropriate policies to ensure a rapid growth of the sector,” says Korkor Amarteifio, outgoing Chairperson of the Arterial Network Steering Committee and leader of the Ghana  delegation to the conference.

Other topics slated for discussion include the relevance of creative industries to economic, social and political development in Africa, the role of China and how it relates to Africa’s creative sector and the role of former colonial entities and their cultural programmes in Africa.

The conference, among other things,  aims at providing a theoretical and statistical overview of the African creative economy as a basis for future interventions and advocacy purposes while identifying challenges and their possible solutions.

To develop and achieve maximum gains from the sector, Ghana has to provide appropriate legal and regulatory framework for promoting the creative arts and protection of intellectual property rights.

The country must also promote the establishment of a Culture and Business desk in Ghanaian Embassies and High Commissions throughout the world while facilitating the establishment of an appropriate and effective collection society sector.

Review and ratification of  international conventions on culture and creative activity will also help boost the sector

Experts from various parts of the world will address the conference, which is being organised by the Arterial Network in collaboration with Cape Craft and Design Institute of South Africa.

By John Owoo/Daily Graphic/Ghana