NCAC Validates UNESCO ASCHBERG Regulations For National Endowment Fund
The National Centre for Arts and Culture on Wednesday 1st January held a workshop for the validation of the draft UNESCO ASCHBERG regulation for the national endowment fund for arts and culture at the National Museum in Banjul.
The National Centre for Arts and Culture was among the 12 beneficiary countries of the 2021 UNESCO-Aschberg Project which was launched in Romania aimed at supporting the country in drafting a law on the status of the artist.
Through that project the NCAC engaged its stakeholders on drafting a raft of regulations needed to upscale the status of Gambian Artists.
Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of NCAC stated that, the endowment fund will help to bring an end to artist that are having good ideas and not able to implement it due to the lack of funds. He also noted the fund will help remove some percentage levy on all audio,video tapes and discs recorded or blank imported into The Gambia.
He also said that the fund will cover several sectors like artistic, technical, management and other ancillary skills.
“Implementing of projects and events related to the sector covered by the fund includes projects relating to creation of creative outputs, distribution and showcase/exhibition.” He added
Dimitri Sanga, Director of UNESCO regional office, joined the workshop via zoom and said that the regulations for the endowment fund is particular important to continue to enhance the finding of artistic and cultural program in The Gambia
He further said that access to financial resources is a key element in enabling actors to create, produce and distribute cultural goods and services.
“One of the roles of culture is recognize as a driver of sustainability, development and creativity which remains one of the sector’s most confronted with as funding challenges and that it is in the interest of the state and politics to put in place policies that will support the value chain and protection of the diversity of cultural expression.” He added
Part of the endowment fund regulations 2022 arrangementincludes the Use and Administration of the funds which states that the Subject to any provision of the Act, all monies from the Endowment Fund shall be used for the promotion, development and support of arts and culture in The Gambia.
It also states that no expenditure shall be made from the Endowment Fund unless it is approved by the Board of the Centre.
