GHANAIAN ARTS IN SYNC!

Time and again, those in the art and entertainment industry have in one way or the other cried to various governments for support in one way or the other. I heard this cry a long time ago and i still hear it. So i decided to look around and pay particular attention to the arts industry, thus if there is one at all. Indeed, there is no doubt that there is a whole lot of potential, both in talent and in monetary gains in this industry, yet, some have said there is not much of an industry.


Personally, I do not see much of an industry. I see a whole lot of unplanned instances such that I really cannot pinpoint exactly where any government is supposed to help. I am not sure of the angle that such a help should come from. What kind of help is been asked for anyway? We never waste time in comparing certain things to how they happen in other countries, with usual reference to the U.S. One thing which I think we have not exactly realised is the fact that they actually plan their activities to cover a number of years, such that Warner Bros knows the title of the movies to be released in the next two years, the plot, how there will be released and the release dates. They even know who is going to play the lead male or female alongside the supporting cast in future movies.

This clearly defines planning. Musicians plan their concerts such that throughout a certain period, they go according to a certain plan. Unfortunately, such arrangements are hard to come by in this part of the world. Yet we always see the big picture of what they have acheived. We hardly see the planning aspect. We hate to plan, yet we want to acheive big things with a shocking sense of urgency in this regard.

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate charterhouse. It is not by mere coincidence that they are the entertainment powerhouse in Ghana as of now. I have not gotten to be in that purple-blue building yet. Definately, there will be hitches here and there, afterall, humans work there. But looking at this organisation from afar, as i have done in the past few years, I have realised that they have been very consistent in a number of productions. They seem to have a plan which they conform to. GMA does not come off by chance, neither does SOF, Miss Malaika nor Night of Laughs. Even Rythms has its seasons and there are plans of when it is to be on and off air. They all happen at certain times in the year, regardless of the amount of money the just ended episode brought in. They do not drive on monetary whims.

I am hoping for a time when I will get to hear of and see and realise that a certain musician has such a management team behind him or her, such that an album release will come with planned activities over a certain number of months. Am not talking of album and souvenir signing at the Accra Mall, neither am I talking of just a press release.

Are Ghanaians not fond of copying blindly? Do you remember space to space, pure water and bottled water? am talking of something more. I do not have all the answers. I am challenging all to think outside the box. Charterhouse is Charterhouse because of careful planning with a lot of preparedness for their activities.

Afterall, are they not the ones who have helped our telecom companies to make more noise and have this sort of fierce competition with all this title sponsorship and major sponsor and what have you? If there is careful planning, any approach to a particular government will go with a particular appeal geared towards a particular angle.