We’re going off for the holidays. When we return in the new year, we are going to launch into the new government dispensation. The new administration is promising the Golden Age of Culture.
Here’s the full list of all the twenty-two promises of the incoming administration’s fresh agenda for the tourism and creative arts sectors.
(1) To make budgetary allocation for the creative arts.
(2) Declare the Golden Age of Culture, Arts and Tourism an overarching policy for the sector, where there will be actions and modules to promote job creation and entrepreneurship. Under this will be the ‘BlackStar Experience’, which will be one of the sub-themes to imbue Africanism in Ghanaians and encourage people to come from all over the world to see our arts, tourism and culture.
(3) Renovate centres of arts and culture in the various regions.
(4) To streamline copyright modalities and IP laws.
(5) There will be film festivals where Ghanaian films will be exhibited.
(6) They will also organise arts exhibitions, music shows and fashion programmes.
(7) There will be special focus on drama and theatre arts: playwrights will be supported to exhibit their plays.
(8) Creatives to attend international trade fairs to exhibit Ghanaian culture and arts.
(9) To pursue the dream of establishing a film village, get equipment at low cost for film makers.
(10) To rehabilitate the National Theatre in Accra and build a second National Theatre in Kumasi.
(11) To acquire a special event channel for the creative arts programmes on digital terrestrial television (DTT), provide a technology that will make that show payable so people will pay to watch.
(12) To give special rates for performances at Blackstar Square, Accra International Conference Centre and other venues owned by the government.
(13) Encourage the teaching of music and arts in the curriculum; provide trained teachers for such subjects.
(14) Introduce tax breaks for creative artists who have tax identification numbers (TIN).
(15) Formalise a fund for ageing artistes.
(16) Revive the National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC).
(17) In partnership with the private sector, develop all the tourist sites.
(18) Revive the Marine Drive Project.
(19) Provide amusement parks.
(20) Review the tourism fund, make sure it benefits the various stakeholders in the tourism value chain.
(21) Build a new city on the banks of the Volta Region with facilities that will generate arts activities and boost tourism.
(22) Hold annual stakeholders’ dialogue with people in the creative arts.
Merry Christmas people, and a great New Year to you all!
