Cultural Fund Releases GH�255,160 For Arts Projects

Eleven arts organizations and music groups have been granted a total of GH�255,160 by the Ghana Denmark Cultural Fund (GDCF) for a variety of arts projects. Successful applicants are Centre for Creative Youth, Dance Factory, Bizung School of Music and Dance, Council of Women Traditional Leaders, MUSIGA Wa branch, National Symphony Orchestra, Kusum Gboo Dance Ensemble, Abiza Band, African Footprint International and Young and Wise Gbambiri Group. This follows recommendations made by a peer review committee set up by the Institute for Music and Development (administrators of the fund) to vet applications from various parts of the country and make recommendations to the board of GDCF. Projects to be executed under the grants include writing / publishing of a book, purchase of musical instruments, creation/performance of a dance piece, circus performance / workshop for sound engineers, recording / duplication of folk music and cultural development programmes. Members of the Peer Review Committee are Dr. Joel Sonne (Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts), Kwesi Gyan Apenteng (Ghana Association of Writers), Akosua Abdallah(National Theatre Players), Ato Annan (Foundation for Contemporary Art), Nii Tete Yartey(Noyam African Dance Institute), Bessa Simon (MUSIGA) and Theresa Tetteh (Musician). GDCF board members comprise Stine B. Arthur (Programme Officer for Culture, Royal Danish Embassy in Accra), Prof. Irene Odotei (Director, Historical Society of Ghana), Dr. Agyemang Osei (Acting Executive Director, National Theatre of Ghana) and Michael Attipoe (Director of Finance and Administration, National Commission on Culture). The rest are Oh Nii Sowah (Lecturer, School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana, Legon), Akoss Ofori Mensah (Director, Sub Saharan Publishers) and Shirley Frimpong Manso (Film maker/Producer). Since 2007, the GDCF has released a total of GH�932,773.43 for various arts projects throughout the country. These include publishing of books, documentary films, dance productions, acquisition of instruments / equipment, storytelling and reading programmes for school kids among others.