Ghana Music Expansion Project, Catalyst To Enhance Artistes Dividend On Art Work - Frank Kwabena Owusu

According to the Deputy Director of Creative Art Agency, Frank Kwabena Owusu, the Support Expansion of Ghana Music Industry (SEGMI) has changed the game for Ghanaian musicians, allowing them to enjoy the fruits of their labor in a way that was not possible in past years. As a result, musicians must fully support and embrace the initiative.

In order to provide training to Ghanaian creative art players, such as film makers, artistes, music producers, sound engineers, music directors, song writers, photographers, and fashion designers, among others, the French government, through the French Embassy, and the Ghanaian government, through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture under the agency of the Creative Art Industry, have reached an agreement on the two-year SEGMI project.

On Tuesday, December 5, 2023, in the Alliance Francaise office in Cape Coast, the Central Region, the Ghana Creative Mixer, a project aimed at igniting Ghana's creative spark and unleashing the potential of the country's Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs), made its debut. Participants attended a copyright workshop and were given an overview of initiatives for Ghana's creatives.

As planned, the journey began on December 7 in Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region, and ended on December 9, 2023, in Tamale, in the Northern Region.

In an interview with Ghanaweb content creator DjQwequ, Frank Owusu stated that while an employee is entitled to their pay, it seems that Ghanaian musicians are treated differently, appearing impoverished despite releasing multiple albums, in contrast to other countries where a musician can become a multimillionaire overnight by releasing a single hit song.

Therefore, after learning about copyright and related concerns, Ghanaian artists in particular need to actively become involved to break free from the chains of poverty that have bound them for so long.

The main objectives of the SEGMI project, according to Emily Meisel, the project manager, are to improve the compensation of Ghanaian musicians and to fortify the music industry in Ghana. The project is divided into several components.

Project Manager for Creative Africa Ghana, Marion Astier stated that her organization works to bridge the gap between artistry and entrepreneurship in order to foster innovation and create job opportunities for individuals in the cultural and creative art industry. Creative Africa Ghana is a project that involves fifteen (15) African countries.

Source: Djqwequ