Extend 9th European Development Fund for cultural initiatives

Accra, Nov. 9, GNA - Civil society organisations and cultural activists on Monday appealed to the European Commission to extend its 9th=

Development Fund for Cultural Initiatives Support Programmes (CISP) Grant= s to organisations and individuals in Ghana. The grants seek to encourage people in arts and cultural organisatio= ns, individuals and other people to work effectively for the development of Ghanaian traditional systems. The CISP offers small grants to support the development of artists a= nd arts and cultural organisations to enable them contribute to the growth o= f the national economy. The grant award also seeks to support projects which will entice mor= e people to participate in arts and culture, provide creative opportunities=

for civil society, create opportunities to promote and celebrate cultural=

diversity. Some Cultural Activists told the Ghana News Agency in Accra, that th= e grants had helped in the development of traditional culture, created employment for the larger non-formal sector and empowered artistes. The group explained that since its launch the project had improved t= he performance and productivity of organisations dealing with the arts and culture in the country. Mr Kwasi Gyan-Apenteng, CISP Programme Coordinator, explained to the ct, which would end by the close of the year. He said the cultural Initiatives Support Programme was a three-year initiative under which the European Union provided Ghana with a ?2m grant= to support the cultural sector. The call for proposals was launched in compliance with the European Development Fund (EDF) regulations, and in close collaboration with the national authorizing office of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Plann= ing and the National Commission on Culture. He said culture promoted diversity and contributed significantly to the global order of peace and respect for shares values including activities to help promote an inclusive society and contribute to preventing and reduci= ng poverty and social exclusion. He said the project focused on issues around gender, ethnicity, fait= h, disability, the economic disadvantaged, and any social or institutional barriers that prevented people from actively participating in the arts. He said the grant, which was opened for time-limited activities that could be executed within eight months by arts and cultural organisations,=

institutions, groups and individuals who used the arts in their work, had=

transformed beneficiary communities, hence the call for extension of the project. Mr Gyan-Apenteng said the project had created employment for most people in the hinterlands who needed small grants to improve upon their work. "In the Northern, Eastern and Volta regions the initiative has reforme= d the leather, smock, basketry, beads, kente industry by adding value to th= eir products". On the Third Call for Proposal, Mr Gyan-Apenteng said the third call=

received about 574 applicants out of which about 35 were disqualified dur= ing the first evaluation process. He said the committee working on the proposals were on the final phas= e of the selection process and the best 40 grants recipients would be announced by the end of the year. He commended the European Commission, Ministry of Finance and Economi= c Planning, and the National Commission on Culture for the support and cooperation during the lifespan of the grant.