Panacea for Economic Challenges in Nigeria: Theatre Design as a Hobby (original) (raw)
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Unemployment appears to be the greatest challenge militating against the development of the African nations. In Nigeria for instance, eradication of unemployment has become a regular item in the agenda of every government epoch of both military and democratic leaders. This study uses the sociological and the literary methodologies to identify theatrical avenues that are employment opportunities for the artistic director in contemporary Nigeria. The study observes among other things that, the artistic director has the capacity to silence unemployment of the theatre graduate because employment for him (artistic director) generates employment for the rest of the theatre collaborators who include the set and lights designers, makeup artist, costumier, props and sound manager, actors and the management crew amongst others. The study therefore, identify and recommends street protests, burial ceremonies, convocations and matriculations events, campaign rallies, church crusades and services, birthdays and naming ceremonies as potential theatrical experiences that are employment opportunities for the artistic director. It is hope that with this, the unattended challenge of unemployment will be reduced for the theatre graduate in Nigeria. The Theatre Artiste and the Challenges of Unemployment in Nigeria
The Economics of Quality in Nigerian Theatre Design: Imperatives for the 21 st Century
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The interplay of the 21 st century economic challenges and the need for professional excellence in Nigeria, within the context of theatre design, poses a challenge to young professionals. As members of the society, designers do not exist in isolation. Therefore, they are socially conscious and need to struggle for survival, but they do not merely struggle like any other person, though they share the same social problems with the other members of the society. The designers' approach to solving problems is the consequence of their membership of the society, but they have their unique mode of proffering tangible solutions to the social problems. Ensuring the quality required of the present day theatre designer consists in having all it takes to standout in the competitive job market. The problem of this study consists in the gap between professionalism and economy. Using the participant observation method of research, core professional ethics and values are given qualitative analysis. The conclusion is that if professional theatre designers can only overcome financial challenges by seek quality.
The Role of Creative Arts and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria
3rd International Conference (Virtual/Physical), 2021
Abstract The role of creative art in national development has not been fully appreciated. Creative art for long had been treated as an insignificant aspect of the country's educational programme. A consequence of this neglect in the creative art works of the people's potentials and locally designed products remain very low . Poverty alleviation has remained in the front burner of global socio-political discourse for a long period of time. by the United Nations Organization culminating in the enlistment of poverty alleviation as one of the cardinal goals to attain in the Millennium Development Goals expected to be achieved by 2015.With less than two months to 2015 target, it was evidently clear that only a few countries made little progress in achieving the MDG, while most countries especially in Africa, rather than achieve the goal, slumped deeper into poverty. The thrust of this paper explores the meaning of Creative Arts and how poverty can be alleviated through creative arts in Nigeria. After a careful exploration of the meaning of arts, the paper highlights the role of creative arts with special reference to Nigeria. Art empowers individuals with creative skills that widen the base of participation in the society, create jobs, self reliance, identity, communicates by creating, recording and transferring ideas. It builds and perpetuates social, religious, political and economic stability and indeed poverty alleviation which is a necessity of economic state of the living The paper therefore advocates for policies that would guarantee optimal utilization of creative art for a sustainable and effective measures for national development. Keywords: Creative Arts, Poverty Alleviation, Potentials and Economy.
Nigerian National Theatre and the New Economy
International Journal of Current Research in the Humanities
The cultural and creative industries (CCIs) have become very contributory to the development of most economies, both in the developed and the developing worlds. They form the bedrock of the economies of modern societies. The contribution of national theatres of nations across the world, in the component of the creative industry and its contributions to the 21st century economy or new economy is expectedly, immense. More so, as the institution represents a critical phenomenon in the arts and culture sectors. It is against this background that this paper examines the quintessential role of the national theatre (NT) in Nigeria in the overall involvement of the cultural and creative industries (CCIs) to the 21st century economy, with a view to establishing how impactful the institution has been in the dispensation of such roles, identifying its challenges and making helpful recommendations. One-on-one in-depth interviews, focused group discussions and archival resources are largely reli...
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The fundamental concern of the Arts disciplines (Humanities) is with man and his complex nature, cognizantly his multifaceted relationships with the world around him and beyond. It is in this context that each Arts discipline tries to investigate and explain those aspects of man’s nature that particularly concern or challenge him. In a more specific context, the study and practise of Performing Arts is saddled with the expressions of these realities offering opportunities to display cultures and traditions while “mirroring” the society. In recent times there has been a sudden rise in interest and attention given to the creative and cultural industries especially with the popularity of Nigerian popular music and video film across Africa and beyond. Further to this, a lot of young minds have been inspired to seek university education in this area in order to develop their artistic instinct and build their creative capacity towards economic self-reliance. This paper highlight the objectives of the Elizade University Performing and Film Arts degree programme as it experiments with the concept of ‘total theatre’ incorporating drama, music, dance and film. Furthermore, the idea to deviate from the traditional nomenclature of ‘theatre arts’ by incorporating ‘film studies’ into the programme is being stressed here to portend the ability to produce thorough bred professional in the field that would eventually be ‘job givers’ and not ‘job seekers’ The paper also traces the origin of the Nigerian film industry now called ‘Nollywood’ and asserts that in the nearest future the Elizade Performing and film arts graduate will be ready to fill the capacity requirements of Nollywood, and be part of the generation to take the industry to the next level. It is hoped that this paper will generate more interest in emphasising economic sustainability through university education using the Elizade Performing and Film arts degree programme as an impetus.
Impact of Arts on Economic Development: The Nigeria Experience
No serious minded economic policy formulators and administrators at modern times can afford to undermine education, art education, internal economic structure (micro economy), the arts and the need for diversification. Before the emergence of oil and gas exploration in Nigeria, subsistent farming, export of agricultural produce and multiplicity of human engagements such as crafts have sustained the economy of the Nigerian past. Today, the economy is still domiciled at the frontiers of oil and gas, this situation has caused enormous challenges to the Nigerian nation. Results of researches have been published, economic summits have been conducted in order to call attention to successive governments and the private (business) sector in the economy by Professional groups, individuals, academics, economists and journalists alike; the need for diversification and the strengthening of other sectors to revitalise the whole system in conformity with the needed economic development. This paper is therefore designed to review literature on economy and the arts, analyse the importance of arts, education and economy, the role of studio arts on economic development, the impact of aesthetics on commodities. In order to achieve this, institutional libraries, the print and electronic media were consulted, artists were interviewed and participatory observant capacity was assumed. Conclusively, the paper is of the view, Nigeria possesses enormous human resources, talented and artistic man power; what the country needs is viable and consistent educational programmes and the strengthening of the arts both the institutional and its practice.
NAVIGATING LANDMINES AND PATHWAYS_ INTERROGATING NEW APPROACHES TO THEATRE MAKING IN NIGERIA.docx
The growing global economic uncertainties have in recent times been attended by a cutting down of costs by corporate bodies and families alike. In most developing economies, the perennial scaling down of budgets has meant dwindling provisions for leisure and entertainment. This accounts for the sharp drop in theatre attendance in most of these countries. In Africa where people are used to enjoying folk theatre performances in the open community squares for free, the idea of paying for tickets to attend theatre becomes more and more unattractive. The growing cases of global terrorism and general insecurity in most societies has made it even more difficult for families to see the wisdom in risking attending theatre productions at night, what more to spend scarce family income on tickets when there are cheaper and safer alternatives at home by way of cable television and soap operas. The theatre critic's job is in jeopardy if the theatre makers are not producing. Undaunted the theatre makers have been reinventing their audience engineering strategies and production approaches. This paper is an incursion into the new approaches theatre makers have adopted to keep their art and professionalism afloat in the face of persisting harsh social and economic realities.
Technical Design and Creativity in Nigerian Theatres
Scene Dock: Journal of Theatre Design and Technology, 2017
The establishment of Nigerian University Theatre is to satisfy the aim of imparting both theoretical and practical knowledge in students which they will deploy and or channel towards societal development. However, when this penchant responsibility becomes lopsided, the aim is defeated. This paper examines factors that theatre design students encounter in thinking and applying creativity in theatrical performances in the Benue State University Theatre. The study, through personal observation and experience examined the problem and finds out that, experimental ideologies, monolithic scene framing and repetitive use of stage designs amongst other factors are responsible for lag in the theatre designer's creativity, spontaneity and flexibility in the Department. Therefore, to ensure the creativity of theatre designers in the Department and beyond, instructors and learners must change their perfunctory attitude and behavior towards this area of specialty. The paper encourages the Theatre Arts Departments to look inwards to source for ways to improve the theatre for effective teaching and learning of technical design.
NIGERIAN THEATRE AND THE CREATIVE SPACE; THE MARKETING, PUBLICITY AND ADVERTISING EXTRACTION
IASET, 2020
The nomenclature 'Nigerian Theatre' is a means of creating a niche by looking inward and uncovering the traditional and cultural attributes that distinguishes us as a people. This notion is a deviation from the total dependence on Western culture to a local content concept. Employing marketing, publicity and advertising as a driving force to achieve economic viability, self-sustenance and cultural relevance in the Nigerian theatre has become crucial and necessary. This is done by adapting the local cultural content thereby creating a synergetic and methodological approach. In today's business world, by empirical observation it is evident that any art that introduces new ideas, methods and indigenous materials into the business space is widely accepted. The creative environment in Nigeria is endowed with diverse theatrical and creative natural aptitude that must be showcased to the world through the medium of marketing and publicity. Marketing and publicity have the capacity to enhance organizational goals by increasing the sales cycles of the company. Its effectiveness is determined by the influx of viewers, whose patronage is measured by the positive impact on sales. This paper x-rays how adopting rigorous marketing and publicity methods can enhance the economic viabilities of the creative space. It is in this regard, that the old 'Learning theory' was adopted to show how advertising can positively stimulate creative patronages.
Measured Growth in Theatre and Media Arts Department of Ambrose Alli university, Ekpoma, Nigeria
The Department of Theatre and Media Arts, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma (DTMA-AAU) took off as Theatre Arts Department in the 1996/1997 academic session as a unit under the Department of English. Since then no historical evaluation or critical study has been carried out on it with regard to quality assurance or service delivery in the areas of teaching, learning and research as a rib of humanistic study. Given such a scenario, certain facts may be lost to history and fundamental values ignored, if issues are not put under the arc light to get apposite perspectives, which may redound to national development. It is in view of this that this article employs historical-analytic and evaluative approaches to examine the state of affairs in the DTMA-AAU since its creation, and related issues in the Nigerian university system, with a view to improving the lot of theatre and media arts studies as an academic field in Nigeria. The study observes that poor funding, derisory human and material resources constitute the main challenges that the DTMA-AAU is confronted with. Consequently, the article argues that there is the need to improve on funding, staffing, infrastructure and curriculum design to reflect current trends in theatre and media arts studies. It further contends that, among other things, DTMA-AAU stakeholders, with the support of the Ambrose Alli University authorities should review the theatre and media arts studies programme to allow for the creation of the Faculty of Creative Arts (FCA), which would then be put before the National University Commission (NUC) for further review and possible implementation in the Nigerian university system. Such a deliberate effort will provide robust templates for more effective teaching, learning and research activities in the multifaceted discipline. In this way, viable degree options of radio and television studies, children dramatics, print media, costume and make up studies, dance studies, music, graphics and animation, theatre and cultural management, film studies, dramatic arts, etc, would have been given a lifeline to flourish. Apart from helping to equip students on the programme with marketable skills and multi-talent competencies, which are required of them in an increasingly competitive and knowledge-based society, an enforced FCA regime is expected to strengthen the Entrepreneurship Studies (ES) course that every Nigerian undergraduate is now expected to offer. As well, the internally generated revenue (IGR) drive of the Nigerian university system would have be bolstered because a well primed FCA will be the hub of creative and entertainment industries in Nigeria.