The ten Regional Delegates of Arts and Culture have been edified on the new law governing artistic and cultural associations that was recently adopted by parliament and promulgated by the Head of State.

The delegates got explanations and clarifications on the law last week during a consultation meeting with the Minister of Arts and Culture, Pierre Ismael Bidoung Mkpatt.

Presenting the law and its merits, the Minister of Arts and Culture tasked the various delegates to get the right information back to their various cultural groupings at the local level in order to avoid the skepticism that was observed when the bill first presented in parliament. For the law to be effectively implemented across the country, the Regional Delegates must fully have mastery in order to start sensitising the artistes and other stakeholders, the Minister said.

Last Thursday’s meeting equally sought to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the sector as the Regional Delegates shared their experiences at their various levels.

They all agreed the health crisis had forced the cancellation of several cultural and stage events, forcing artists to either postpone them to a later date while others have resorted to social media as an alternative.

In a bid to seek solutions to keep the sector alive despite the pandemic, the Regional Delegates proposed the creation of a solidarity fund that will help sustain key players while they called for continued sensitisation through some of the key players in the sector.