Arts is a lucrative industry, Ghana must invest in it – Ablade Glover

Veteran visual artiste, Prof Ablade Glover has shared his sentiment on the focus of Ghana's education system.

According to him, the arts have not been given the same emphasis as other fields.

This situation, the professor insists, has resulted in a lack of prominent figures in Ghana advocating for success in the arts.

“Unlike fields such as medicine and engineering, where notable figures gained recognition, the presence of recognised visual artists was notably scarce."

Consequently, parents tended to discourage their children from pursuing the arts, a trend that persists today, leading many art graduates to seek employment in unrelated fields like banking," he added.

On the back of this, Professor Ablade Glover emphasized the need for increased investment in the art industry, highlighting its potential for significant financial gain.

He underscored the importance of governmental support, entrepreneurial initiatives, and the establishment of platforms such as galleries to foster recognition and appreciation for artists' work.

"By creating more opportunities and visibility, artists can thrive independently, ultimately leading to a flourishing art scene in the country," he explained.

"This, in turn, can encourage more young artists to pursue their passion, rather than feeling compelled to abandon their craft for unrelated jobs. However, the reality remains that without adequate support and visibility, many talented artists find it difficult to sell their work, often settling for meager compensation."

Prof Ablade Glover said this in an interview on Joy FM’s Personality Profile on the Drive Time On Joy.

Responding to how these bottlenecks can be addressed and resolved, Prof  Ablade Glover advocated that a more entrepreneurial approach, along with government policies and investments.