The Centre for Research, Culture, and Creative Arts (CeRCCA) has asked the government to pay attention to the welfare of all categories of artists in the creative arts sector in Ghana.

According to the Acting Director of the Center at the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Osuanyi Quaicoo Essel, it is important for the country to analyze policy issues regarding education and the welfare of all categories of artists in the creative arts sector.

In the statement released by the director to mark International Artist’s Day, he indicated that the policy issues on training, career development, and welfare of all categories of artists in the creative arts sector, especially in the training of artists and craft persons in the non-formal sector, should be given a special focus.

He said: “It is time to show keen interest in developing a national policy for creative artists and craft persons, whose implementation will create jobs.”

The CeRCCA also said that their call has become necessary as the creative arts sector has received little attention for creating sustainable jobs that will help solve the unemployment situation in the country.

They mentioned that the little attention given over the decade was for the few people who trained in formal school settings, leaving out the huge numbers who are trained in the non-formal sector.

Prof. Essel further stated that due to inadequate attention, the youth with interest in the field struggle to develop their careers, with some falling off due to a lack of financial support.

“The youth with an interest in the field struggle in developing their careers as musicians, actors, designers, hairstylists, cosmetologists, painters, furniture artists, ceramists, sculptors, fashion designers, and others. In the process of struggling to pursue a career in the creative arts and crafts field, many fall off due to a lack of financial support,” he averred.

In their statement, the Center asked that critical attention be paid to the social security and often unstable employment situations of creative arts and craft professionals and called for the creation of a rigorous national creative arts and crafts policy that will provide social protection for artists and craft persons.

Prof. Essel intimated, “We are calling for the prioritization of financial support for arts-based career training for the youth and the active creative population with low-economic backgrounds.”