Africa-Press – Ghana. Visual Artists have been urged to add value to their works to gain both direct and indirect economic visibility.
Dr George Buma Ampratwum, a Senior Lecturer of the Department of Painting and Sculpture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said the benefit of visual arts was beyond direct economic benefit to the artists and the country.
He was speaking at a workshop for artists organised by the management of the Ashanti Regional Centre for National Culture (CNC) to commemorate the World Arts Day.
The workshop wwhich was on the theme; Crafting Your Narrative, the Artists’ Statement aimed at equipping young artists with enough knowledge on how to write about their work concepts, working process and materials used.
These are key requirements in exhibitions and portfolio presentations.
In attendance were 35 practising painters, comprising eight females and 27 males in the region.
Dr Ampratwum said usually, artists were focused on the direct economic benefits, such as job creation, employment, income and others, of their works.
However, he noted that, the indirect economic benefits, which focused on the exposure of artists at both the national and international levels, swept-in greater benefits than the direct benefits gained.
Hence, to gain both direct and indirect benefits, the artists must focus on quality production of works, good exhibitions and marketing strategies.
Dr Ampratwum said before the production of an art work, the artist must have in-depth knowledge of history or local stories to be about to produce meaningful and impactful works.
This, he emphasized, made it easier to write about the concept of production, easy articulation during exhibitions and marketing.
Additionally, Dr Ampratwum urged artists to pay attention to the materials used in production as it affected the outcome of the work and advised artists to work together as a team by forming an association to aid in setting up exhibitions to support their artworks.
Mr Peter Kofi Marfo, the Acting Ashanti Regional Director of the CNC, said the workshop provided an opportunity for artists to exchange ideas, refine their skills, and explore innovative ways of expressing their creativity in a rapidly evolving world.
Therefore, by equipping artists with skills and networks, the workshop would enhance their capacity to turn creativity into sustainable livelihoods, thereby contributing to the broader creative economy.
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