Despite the huge creative arts resources that have come down to the country from prehistoric and historic eras, Ethiopia has so far failed to gain any benefit from these resources, some of which are almost neglected. The writer of this article wishes to dwell upon this important but relatively neglected sector. First, it is useful to expound on what exactly the creative arts of a country.
Creative arts encompass a wide range of artistic disciplines that involve imagination, creativity, and expression. These arts are often categorized into various forms, including visual, performing, and literary arts, or tangible and intangible resources.
Visual arts focus on creating works that are primarily visual in nature. This includes Painting: Using pigments to create images on surfaces like canvas, paper, or walls, Sculpture: Crafting three-dimensional works using materials such as stone, metal, or clay. Photography: Capturing images through cameras as a form of artistic expression. Drawing: Creating images with pencils, ink, or other media on a two-dimensional surface. Graphic Design: Combining text and images to create visual content for communication, often used in digital media. Performing arts involve live presentations where artists express creativity through performance. These include: Theater: Acting, playwriting, and production in live stage performances. Music: Composing, playing instruments, singing, and conducting musical pieces. Dance: Artistic movement performed to music or as a means of expression. Film and Cinema: The creation of moving images for entertainment, education, or artistic expression.
Literary arts involve the use of written or spoken word to convey ideas, stories, and emotions. This includes: Poetry: Expressive writing that often follows a rhythmic and symbolic structure. Fiction: Creating narratives through short stories, novels, and other forms of storytelling. Non-fiction: Writing about real events, people, and facts, including essays, biographies, and journalism. Drama: Writing scripts for performance, either in theater or film.
Applied arts focus on functional objects that are also aesthetically pleasing. This includes: Architecture: Designing and constructing buildings and other structures. Fashion Design: Creating clothing and accessories. Industrial Design: Designing products for mass production, blending function and aesthetics. Interior Design: Enhancing indoor spaces to make them more functional and visually appealing.
Multimedia arts involve combining various forms of artistic expression, often integrating technology. This includes: Digital Art: Creating art through digital tools like graphic software. Animation: The process of creating moving images through illustrations or computer-generated models. Video Art: Artistic work that uses video as its primary medium.
Craft arts include arts that involve making objects by hand, such as: Pottery: Crafting objects from clay often fired in a kiln to harden. Weaving: Creating fabrics or textiles by interlacing threads. Jewelry Making: Designing and crafting wearable art from metals, stones, and other materials.
The culinary arts involve the creative preparation of food. It includes cooking, baking, and food presentation in both artistic and functional ways.
Creative arts can play a significant role in promoting Ethiopia’s national economy through various channels, enhancing cultural identity, tourism, and creating employment opportunities. Here’s how creative arts contribute to economic growth:
Ethiopia’s rich history, diverse cultures, and heritage make it a major attraction for cultural tourism. Arts like traditional music, dance, painting, sculpture, and crafts can help Ethiopia promote its cultural assets globally. Festivals, performances, and exhibitions draw international tourists, boosting the hospitality, retail, and service sectors. For example, the Irreechaa festival and traditional Ethiopian art forms have become vital tourism attractions.
Ethiopia’s unique traditional musical instruments that are used on secular and religious events include kebero, traditional drum, negarit which is used for communication purposes, kirar, begena, tom, string instruments, zumbara and washint which are wind instruments and a host of other musical instruments used by various ethnic groups in the country.
Traditional costumes made from cotton fabrics are also part of the creative works of weavers in the country, depicting colorful traditional outfits for children, women, and young persons across the country with a colorful mix of styles among various ethnic groups in Ethiopia.
By promoting cultural tourism, Ethiopia can increase foreign exchange earnings, create jobs in tourism and hospitality, and support local artisans.
The creative arts sector provides a platform for artists, designers, and performers in Ethiopia to showcase their talents. This contributes to direct job creation in fields like film, theater, music, and visual arts. Ethiopia’s emerging film industry, for example, has seen growth and employs many young creatives.
The sector fosters entrepreneurship and innovation, encouraging small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in creative industries, which in turn supports broader economic diversification.
Ethiopian creative products, such as handicrafts, traditional textiles, and contemporary art, have the potential to access international markets. These goods embody Ethiopia’s cultural identity and uniqueness, which can drive demand globally, providing an additional source of revenue
Exporting traditional art and fashion increases Ethiopia’s foreign exchange earnings and strengthens the country’s global image, positioning it as a cultural hub in Africa.
Through visual art, music, and literature, creative arts contribute to shaping Ethiopia’s national narrative, promoting unity, and reflecting its diverse cultural heritage. This helps build a strong sense of identity, which is crucial for social cohesion, political stability, and economic progress.
By enhancing national unity, creative arts contribute to a stable environment that attracts investment and fosters long-term economic development.
Ethiopia’s film industry, though still developing, has seen growth and has the potential to become a significant economic driver. By producing films that capture the country’s unique stories, culture, and history, Ethiopia can attract local and international audiences.
As the film industry grows, it generates revenue through box office sales, streaming services, and international film festivals. It also creates opportunities for related industries, including media, marketing, and education.
Ethiopia can use its creative arts to promote soft power on the global stage. Music, literature, and art can be powerful tools for diplomatic engagement, showcasing Ethiopia’s culture and values. Initiatives like cultural exchange programs or global art exhibitions can foster goodwill and strengthen international relations.
Strengthened diplomatic relations can lead to trade agreements, foreign investment, and enhanced international cooperation that benefits Ethiopia’s economy. What other measures can the government take in promoting creative arts among the youth in the country? The author would like to suggest the following.
On the other hand, Ethiopia needs to devise various projects to provide favorable conditions for Ethiopian women and men who are actively engaged in the promotion of creative arts. Affirmative actions need to be developed for senior professionals of creative arts and improve their livelihood.
The professional associations established by men of arts should also be supported by the public and concerned government stakeholder’s so that they can mobilize their members for more creative works across all sectors of the arts.
The universities in the country and all public secondary schools need to provide trainings in arts like music, paintings, poetic competitions and other forms of creative works.
The author is of the opinion that the Ministry of Education and Ministry of culture can develop ways and means in which school children and university students can have the opportunity to develop their natural gifts in the area of creative arts.
Ethiopia can promote creative arts among its youth through the following strategies:
Creating local arts centers where youth can access workshops, exhibitions, and performance spaces will help foster creativity. These centers could offer courses in visual arts, music, theater, dance, and digital media. Expanding the curriculum to include creative arts subjects in schools and higher institutions will encourage students to explore artistic fields. This can be further enhanced by organizing school competitions and festivals to celebrate the arts.
By providing grants, mentorship programs, and resources to young artists, Ethiopia can enable the youth to start their own art-related ventures. Encouraging community-based art projects can also help develop local talent.
Ethiopia can harness digital platforms to showcase youth talents. Social media, online galleries, and music-sharing platforms are great avenues to promote arts globally, making creative arts more accessible to a broader audience.
Partnering with local and international cultural organizations can offer youth more exposure and opportunities to connect with experienced artists, curators, and producers. This can be done through artist exchanges, internships, and collaborative projects.
Annual arts and cultural festivals can provide platforms for young artists to display their work. National and regional art festivals would encourage youth participation and cultural exchange.
Offering scholarships and incentives for youth pursuing careers in the creative arts can help remove barriers to entry and motivate talent development in Ethiopia.
These steps can help foster a vibrant creative industry that contributes to the country’s cultural identity and economic growth.
Ethiopia lacks adequate infrastructure facilities that could cater to the promotion of creative arts in the country. The nation lacks national galleries and theaters that could be used to present various musical and other products of creative arts. The country has huge potential in creative arts, but there are numerous challenges that need to be resolved to display them to the public. For instance, there is only one music school in the country and another school of fine arts under Addis Ababa University.
There needs to be a strong link between the country’s tourism industry and the development of creative arts. Workable strategies need to be developed to promote tourism by using products of creative arts in the country.
Safeguarding legal rights on patents on products of creative arts is very important for the quality of the arts and the benefits that producers can get from them. Developing and promoting creative arts exhibitions on the most important international art exhibitions and trade fairs can be organized in an integrated manner to build the image of the country at regional and global levels.
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 24 NOVEMBER 2024
