By Naa Shormei Odonkor
Kumasi March 05, GNA – Mr Emmanuel J P Mensah, Head of the Performing Arts Department of the Ashanti Regional Center for National Culture (CNC), has urged parents to support their children who have interest in pursuing training and courses in the Performing Arts as their career.
This is because the Performing Arts industry was a lucrative business which paid more than any other job.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, in an interview on preparations towards the celebration of the Ghana Heritage month, he said the performing arts industry should not be disregarded.
He debunked the thought that performing arts was only centred on dancing, especially in cultural or traditional dance, but said it included music, drumming, dancing, spoken word, acrobatics, and others.
Mr Mensah said performing arts was a great entertainment business, which when invested in, could generate enough revenue to sustain the economy of a country.
Apart from the financial aspect, he noted that Performing Arts promoted creativity, self-confidence, and interpersonal relationships.
To promote culture in the performing arts industry as the country celebrated its heritage month, in March, Mr Mensah, said the Performing Arts Department of the CNC was embarking on schools’ tour to engage and train students in the Ashanti region on various aspects performing arts.
He said about 17 schools made up of the basic, Junior High School (JHS) and Senior High School (SHS) had been selected for the visit.
Among the schools are Antoa SHS, Armed Forces Senior High Technical School, Osei Kyeretwie SHS, Kumasi Girls SHS, Asanteman SHS, Opoku Ware SHS, Barekese SHS and the Bantama S.D.A. SHS.
Others are the Amakom M/A JHS, Atonsu M/A JHS, Feyiase D/A JHS, Feyiase R/C Primary ‘A’ and ‘B,’ Suame Methodist JHS, Pankrono R/C Basic School, Hilltop International School, Holy Trinity Lutheran School, and the Mount Olivet School.
The Performing Arts Department of the Center for National Culture in the Ashanti Region, over the years, has trained natives and foreigners who fall on them to be trained in any of the fields under the department.
This was done to promote the Asante Culture and the Ghanaian culture at large.
GNA