Accra-Ghana, March 10, GNA – A group of women, multimedia artists have held a roundtable on opportunities of ICT in arts within the context of the COVID-19 lockdown as part of the celebration of the 2023 International Women’s Day in Accra.
This year’s celebration is on the theme: “DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.”
Thirteen women professionals, who are leaders in their fields of expertise presented their experiences at the discussion session.
They were Mardey Ohui Ofoe, photojournalist and documentary filmmaker; Akwele Suma Glory, multimedia artist; Adwowa Ammah Tagoe, art educationist and painter; Gladys Adinyira Wuaku, Sculptor and art educationist; and Kjersti Augland, human rights advocate and art collector.
The others were Nana Adwoa Frema Amoabeng, painter; Franka- Maria Andoh, author and filmmaker; Victoria Sophia Adoe, painting; Ezema Ngozi-Omeje, ceramist from Nigeria; Peace Enyonam Baku multimedia commercial artist; Adwoa Amoah, painter and curator; and Edinam Atatsi, performer.
Madam Akwele Suma Glory, the President of the Women’s Arts Institute Africa (WAiA) in her welcoming address encouraged participants to share their experiences to identify challenges and opportunities so that women artists could develop activities to address the challenges and adequately prepare to take advantage of the opportunities.
Victoria Sophia Adoe, a Painter recounted how she used the social media to regularly publish her works during the COVID-19 lockdown, saying; “The posts generated interest among my audience which led to business opportunities.
“This was a big break from not practising painting for months because of the COVID lockdown. The opportunities I got also presented challenges, where I was commissioned by a Ghanaian Member of Parliament to produce paintings, but I was not paid after the work.”.
A participant from Nigeria Ezema Ngozi-Omeje said ICT has played a facilitating role for women artists to highlight their works during the COVID-19 lockdown, adding; “Many online competitions came up and it created the opportunity to produce work albeit with other challenges such as working materials.”
Other speakers at the meeting also presented their experiences.
Ms Franka-Maria Andoh, the Chief Executive Officer of Josies Cuppa Cappuccino expressed gratitude to the participants for sharing their experiences and hoped that the actions that emerged from the meeting would be implemented to support women in the arts.
The meeting was supported by josies Cuppa Cappuccino and other members of the Women Arts Institute Africa.
