Women artists form Cultural Trust Fund

Women in arts have renewed their call on the Attorney General’s Department to expedite action on the Legislative Instrument (LI) that would establish the Cultural Trust Fund.

They said the LI would help to address financial challenges facing artists.

Madam Akwele Suma Glory, President of the Women’s Arts Institute, Africa (WAIA) who reiterated the call at a three-day advocacy training workshop in Accra said the financial constraint facing women artists was enormous.

She said the workshop, sponsored by Business Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, was to facilitate the development of the requisite LIs to ensure an improved business environment for women in the arts businesses.

Participants were from Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Winneba.

Madam Glory said the establishment of the Fund would contribute significantly to the works of the artists and promote public/private partnership.

She said lack of funding is among the most pressing challenges facing most artists hence the need for WAIA to initiate the trust fund to help artists to access financial resources to develop their work.

Madam Dzifa Gomashie, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, in a speech read on her behalf said without acknowledging culture and its importance the country cannot catch up with the rest of the world.

“It is about time Ghana created the enabling atmosphere for artists to enjoy from their creative enterprises.  We at the sector ministry will do our best to support the trust fund,” she said.

Madam Gomashie expressed gratitude to the Women’s Arts Institute for  advocating for a fund that would support artists to produce works to help develop the economy.

Source: GNA