Fifty-three Artisans and Craftsmen from Second-Takoradi have received a grant of GH₵238,018 through the European Union-funded Twin Cities in Sustainable Partnership Programme, TCSPP, to create artworks for exhibition in Ghana and Italy this year.
The Project Coordinator for the TCSPP, Isaac Aidoo, explained the rationale and expectations of the third-party support to the 53 artisans working in eight groups and said the purpose is to rejuvenate the arts economy of Second-Takoradi to create jobs and boost tourism.
“As part of the TCSPP, we have what we call the Transnational Cultural Festival which is supposed to be held between Italy’s City of Palermo and Sekondi-Takoradi. Within that project, there is a sub-grant to artists and craftsmen in Sekondi-Takoradi and in Palermo to produce some artworks for exhibition at a festival to be held in late June in Second-Takoradi and the best one also selected to be exhibited in Palermo-Italy in September 2024.”
“Each of the eight groups with a total number of 53 artisans have today in total been presented with a Cheque of around GH₵31,000 and they have a period of one and half months to develop their artworks for the exhibitions. The main purpose of the grant support is to help revamp the arts and crafts sector of the metropolis as a means of creating jobs for the youth. The assembly is also seeing this as a means of promoting our tourism industry”, he said.
The Mayor of Second-Takoradi, Abdul Mumin Issah, who handed over the cheques to each of the eight artisan groups, while emphasising the importance of the TCSPP project and its support to artisans in the city, also highlighted the sustainable support for the artisans.
“The project has set up a Technical Team to co-create a Marketing Strategy to boost the Arts and crafts sector in Sekondi-Takoradi. The document is expected to address some of the challenges facing artists, establish effective market linkages with domestic and international buyers, encourage the adoption of new technologies to improve finishing and bridge the linkage between the academia and local artisans to improve production, marketing and research.”
“The STMA is determined to improve the economic opportunities for the artists, increase market value and recognition of indigenous arts and crafts, enhance collaboration between stakeholders in the arts and craft sector, and ensure sustainable growth and development of the arts and craft industry in Sekondi-Takoradi. As part of the sustainability plan for the sector, the Assembly has decided to revamp the Metro Arts and Crafts Gallery into a modern status to attract artworks from all artists for exhibition and sales.“, he noted.
One of the beneficiary artisans, Azasieme Kwame Lanto, while highlighting what he will be working on for the exhibition, also told Citi News the importance of the TCSPP grant and the opportunity to exhibit internationally.
“I’m part of the Creative Zone group which has a membership of seven. We have been charged to produce artworks that project Sekondi-Takoradi. I deem it a great opportunity to be part of this programme and it is a way of giving us the the chance to express ourselves and also project our culture from Takoradi to the world.”
“We will be highlighting portraits of seascapes and pyrography that create the impression of what Takoradi really means. So somebody in our group is working on the anchor scenes and I’m also going to work on the portrait of one exceptional figure in Sekondi-Takoradi“, he said.
The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly through the Twin Cities and Sustainable Partnership Project is also working towards the preservation and promotion of local heritage sites like Fort Orange and the various cultural celebrations in the Metropolis including the Masquerade Festivals.
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