Unesco ready to support arts fund

Malawi National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) says it wants to hit the ground running in supporting the National Arts and Heritage Promotion Fund once a bill is in place.

The fund is one of the provisions in the National Arts and Heritage Council (Nahec) Bill pending Cabinet approval before it is tabled in Parliament.

Speaking during the third round of consultations for the development of regulations to make the fund operational in Mzuzu on Friday, Malawi National Commission for Unesco senior assistant executive secretary Christopher Julio Magomero said they are hopeful the Bill will be passed this July.

He explained that when the Nahec Bill is passed in Parliament, they want to be ready with the regulations so that no time is wasted before the Arts Council and the fund become operational.

“The Malawi Government ratified the 2005 convention on the protection and promotion of cultural industries. And because the government has a cultural policy that is in line with the 2005 convention, our interest is to ensure that both are implemented.

“Within the context of the cultural policy, there is a provision for a National Arts and Heritage Council. And within the council, there is also provision of a cultural fund. The conference here is developing regulations for the fund,” he said.

On the other hand, Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture deputy director of arts responsible for arts and crafts McDonald Maluwaya described the National Arts and Heritage Promotion Fund as a crucial tool for mobilisation and disbursement of funds for the development and promotion of creative and cultural industries in the country.

He said the consultations are meant to solicit views from stakeholders in arts and heritage sectors whose input will be incorporated in the regulations for the implementation of the fund.

Maluwaya added that they want to have regulations that demonstrate best practices on how the fund will be implemented and managed so that it uplifts the status of the country’s creatives.

“The creative and cultural sector has had funding challenges for quite so long; we are talking about decades. These challenges affect the entire value chain for the sector’s products and services. From production to distribution, as well as consumption. Issues to do with spaces where to showcase products.

“This fund aims at addressing these challenges by providing resources so that artists produce quality products. We are also looking for talent and skills development. Malawi has a lot of talent which goes unnoticed because we don’t have robust structures in place,” he said.

Musicians Union of Malawi president Vita Chirwa said there have been numerous arts initiatives which have failed to take off due to the absence of funds.

He explained that they are very hopeful that the fund will open doors and address infrastructure challenges which are crippling various arts projects as creatives lack decent and secure venues to host events.

Said Chirwa: “The number one challenge in the arts sector has been resource mobilisation. And the infrastructure issue is very crucial because at present, we have venues that are not secure. We need to have venues that are attractive, modern, secure and can accommodate multitudes while helping artists make more money.”

The Nahec Bill seeks to promote the country’s arts and cultural heritage. One of the key provisions in the Bill is the establishment of the National Arts and Cultural Heritage Council with a mandate to spearhead the arts and cultural heritage promotion and funding drives.