Showbiz after Virus Pain

Will the industry survive the turbulence

By Ernestina Woode: Courtesy Benson Afful

Deals, tours, and entertainment shows are either suspended or canceled after the outbreak of the dreaded coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which brought the world on its knees.

The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world's arts calendar upside down, as artists and organizers around the world are either postponing or canceling festivals, concerts, tours, theatre shows, movie premieres, and film and television productions, some in the middle of shooting.

Music Stars called off concert gigs and tours as the contagion spread the globe. 'Travel restrictions imposed on international travel and large public events in response to the coronavirus COVID-19.'

If the pandemic intensifies, entertainment pundits argued, will cost Ghana millions of cedis. The industry contributes to Ghana's national GDP. Already the government has said it will spend GHc1billion under a Coronavirus Alleviation Program to cushion Ghanaians as the government tightens measures to control the spread of the deadly coronavirus.

Announcing the package, President Akufo-Addo said the amount would mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on businesses, households, and ensure job losses minimized.

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PHOTO: King Promise, a Ghanaian musician, had to cancel his international trips because of COVID-19.

Ghanaians await the impact the stimulus package will have on all the various sectors of the economy, some questions asked are how much will be diverted into the creative arts sectors, and will the amount enough to reduce the loss of the industry-players?

One of the country’s biggest entertainment events in the industry, the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards expected to take place this year, has setbacks as the world unable to predict when the pandemic likely be under control. The nominees’ jam of the VGMA scheduled for The 4th of April at the Koforidua Jackson Park, was postponed. In compliance with the National Directives on Public Gathering due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like the VGMA, many event organizers have already invested in, will have to be postponed to an unknown date. A situation is likely to hurt an already devastating industry in the country.

Ghanaian musician King Promise has postponed his on-going world tour due to the outbreak of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Having already performed in Berlin, Hamburg, Brescia, and Amsterdam from 5th March, the Commando hitmaker’s 8th March sold-out London show was the biggest yet and had everyone talking. His next stop happens to be Canada has, however, been postponed due to the outbreak.

Stonebwoy's American concert also adds to the number of shows put on hold due to the contagion. The artist, through his management, released a statement saying, the US government banned all large gatherings in the country after the World Health Organization (WHO) labeled coronavirus a pandemic.

"Our team has tried everything in our ability to make this show happen; however, the government has restricted every large gathering at this time as seen on every major news outlet," the statement read.

The management of Omni Media, operators of Citi FM, and Tv announced the same night, the President directive closure of public events that it had suspended all of its outdoor events in line with the president’s directive.

The affected events, the Accra Music Expo scheduled March 21, 2020, and the Music of Ghanaian Origin (MOGO), originally scheduled March 28, 2020.

It is, however, incumbent on all stakeholders as well as investors in the showbiz industry as a matter of urgency to start developing strategies that will help rejuvenate the sector after the virus is defeated in the country. The creative arts sector in an economy drives economic growth when policies relevant to the industry are implemented.

In 2019, the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis and the National Endowment for the Arts released a report that shows that the Arts industry contributes 4.2 % of the gross domestic product, representing $763.3 billion.

The Arts industry has contributed more to GDP than agriculture, warehousing, and transportation employing 4.9 million people who earn $370 billion. In the United Kingdom, the creative industry grew at twice the rate of the economy contributing more than £85 billion in 2015, representing 5% of the UK economy’s gross value added at that time as published by the Department for Digital, Media, Culture, and Sport.

In 2010, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reported that cultural activities contributed to 1.53% of Ghana’s GDP.