We need a national art gallery and museum to showcase our works — GAVA to gov't

The Chairman of the Ghana Association of Visual Artists (GAVA), Nii-Ayi Akwetey Hyde, has called on the government of Ghana to establish a modern national museum and gallery for indigenous art.

Speaking to reporter during the 2021 edition of Sound Out Premium Art Exhibition organised by the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC), Mr. Hyde said the establishment of a national gallery will help to preserve and promote Ghanaian art.

He said all national symbols and artworks must be well preserved and showcased in a national gallery for the public to learn about Ghana’s art history and the contributions from various artists.

He explained that, unlike other products, art pieces gain more prominence as they become old, making them more precious and pricier, hence the need to invest in their preservation.

Mr. Hyde added that the Accra Art Centre where most local artists conduct business activities is currently in a deplorable state and lacks modern facilities to promote the art business.

He however lauded GEPA for supporting the local art sector by spearheading the Sound Out initiative and other art exhibitions.

Addressing participants, the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Krapa, commended Ghanaian artists for helping to promote the country internationally through creative art.

He said artworks created by renowned artists like Larry Otoo, Zohra Opoku, Ibrahim Mahama and Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, have been recognised internationally for their high standards and unique styles that positively project the image of Ghana globally.

The CEO of Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) Dr. Afua Asabea Asare, said the government's support for the art sector is aligned to one of the key pillars of the National Export Development Strategy (NEDS).

Launched in the last quarter of 2020, NEDS is to harness available resources to boost production for export to achieve a revenue of USD25.3 billion by the year 2029.

Dr. Asabea Asare said GEPA is committed to promoting Sound Out to become an African art festival where artists from all over the continent will attend to showcase their works.