Rethinking the role of arts bodies

Unless artists come together to speak one language on pressing issues that continue to affect them and their industries, the country’s arts and entertainment industry will remain in shambolic state, veteran artists have warned.

Prompted to give their views on the effectiveness of arts associations, artists bemoaned the lack of unity among the country’s artists.

Legendary musician Lucius Banda noted that there is little that the country’s artists can influence government with divided voices and actions.

Currently, the arts and entertainment industries in Malawi are grappling with effects of piracy, inadequate funding and disorganised markets. These are resulting in stunted growth of the industries that are touted as key to promoting tourism and preserving culture and, at the same time, contribute to the welfare of artists and economic development of Malawi.

“There is lack of unity among the country’s artists and aggressiveness on the part of our mother body to move government on pressing issues that continue to affect artists. It appears we are separated hence our voices are not strong to exalt pressure on government,” he said.

Patrick Simakweli attributes the problems such as the lack of formal music markets and worsening piracy. The distribution system of the music products in Malawi had virtually collapsed since the closure of O.G Issa music store.

He says the country’s artists are entitled to full protection because the arts bodies and the Copyright Society of Malawi (Cosoma) exist to look into those issues.

Not only musicians, but the whole spectre of artists—writers, visual artists and dramatists—are faced with similar challenges.

However, the long-standing problem has been artists themselves, including their mother bodies, reliance on government for help. But will this dependency syndrome ever help to improve the arts industries?

Do Cosoma and the associations have effective strategies to address the challenges?

According to Cosoma senior licensing officer Rosario Kamanga, the institution, in collaboration with rights holder associations and following a presentation made before the finance ministry, has been allocated funds in the 2015/16 budget, part of which will be used to set up a production and marketing cooperative.

“The company will set up production and distribution facilities which are planned to be operational by January 2016. The establishment of the facility the establishment of the facility is expected to reduce piracy by providing consistent supply of qualitative music products on the market,” he said.

Theatre Association of Malawi (Ntam) has been dedicating its efforts to building the capacity of dramatists to improve the market of their performances.

“We believe that only good things can attract market that’s why we build capacity our members so that their understand the concepts of professional theatre that attracts market on its own,” said Ntam president Manasse Chisiza.

MUM president Reverend ChimwemweMhango said: “Policies and laws provide legal backing of every agenda. Hence Mum has engaged an extra gear to influence government to adopt the Copyright Bill and Cultural Policy. Meanwhile, we have managed to push the two to Cabinet level which is a plus.”

As a way to promoting the value of music MUM introduced music awards in 2014 and on its 2016 agenda there is a new component of celebrating World Music Day which falls on June 21 every year, among other strategies.