Arts have potential to contribute to the economy - Silubanje

LUSAKA District Commissioner David Silubanje says President Edgar Lungu has identified performing arts as one of the viable ventures for job and wealth creation among young people.

Mr. Silubanje said President Lungu is fully aware that performing arts has also the potential to contribute meaningfully to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) if well harnessed and commercialised.

He explained that government through the National Arts Council (NAC) was created in order to regulate and promote the arts sector in the country because of its huge potential.

He said this during his familiarization tour of arts centres in Lusaka to acquaint himself with operations and challenges the sector is facing owing to the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected their businesses.

Mr. Silubanje has since reiterated government’s continued support to the sector because of its enormous potential in job creation and wealth creation in the country. He implored artists to take advantage of the K 30 million stimulus package that the government through the National Arts Council will be disbursing to artistes as a way of mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier, Odini Arts Centre Proprietor Moses Sakala appealed to the government to consider empowering established artistes with land so that they can build arts centres where young people can be mentored.

Mr. Sakala said his centre has produced fine artists that have been employed by the defence forces while others are self-employed and employing other young people.