Quashing the myth: The arts are not just for school dropouts

There has been an erroneous mindset that arts are the preserve of school dropouts. One is seen as an outcast if one dared to inform the parents that he would pursue arts as a career goal.

Justifiably so because in the past, many artists had no interest in formal education and ended up as paupers. Also, some artists in times past lived recklessly, ending up with terminal diseases that dissipated the coffers of the family.

To cure these, most parents persuade and to some extent intimidate their children to pursue accounting, law, medicine, etc because these courses are seen to be prestigious and lucrative.

However, some musicians have defied this flawed misapprehension by skillfully combining the arts and academic work to perfection. Some have even gone a notch higher by going into the corporate world after chalking some successes in the arts.

The names enumerated below are some well-educated people in the arts, but the list is non-exhaustive:

Obour

Bice Osei-Kuffour, popularly known as Obour is one musician who is good at what he does. A proud product of the University of Ghana shelved his degree to pursue music. After a sterling performance in the music industry, he has veered from music into the corporate world. He is currently the Managing Director of Ghana Post Company Limited doing marvelously well with his innovative ideas that have given Ghana Post Company Limited a facelift.

Okyeame Kwame

Another notable musician who has excelled at both (Music and Academics) is Okyeame Kwame who is an alumnus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. After making a name for himself in the music industry and winning countless awards, he saw the need to educate himself further by going back to the classroom to acquire a degree which has helped shape his career.

Samini

One would have thought that after all the hit songs, shows, awards, endorsement deals, etc, that would have ended it for the musician, but he did not rest on his oars. He furthered his education by acquiring a degree in Project Management from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) where he served as the Students' Representative Council's (SRC) President. One has to be intelligent and have good leadership skills to achieve all these.

OB Amponsah

He is one of the comedians who have revived the comedy industry. The stand-up comedian who also doubles as an optometrist will keep you in stitches anytime you watch him. To study to be and practice as an optometrist is no joke, and for him to possess both is mind-blowing. It would not be a surprise to hear that he was debased when he made it known that he would pursue comedy, but he has proven his skeptics wrong with his intelligence, hard work and dedication.

Adjetey Anang

The multi-talented actor is one of the best actors Ghana and the continent have produced. He delivers his roles with panache. Also, an alumnus of the University of Ghana honed his skills while on campus. His professionalism and exceptional performances have made him one of Ghana's finest actors. The actor continues to soar by the day.

Ibrahim Mahama

This is an artist who is noted for clothing buildings in old jute sacks which he stitches to create patchwork quilts. Mahama was the youngest artiste featured in the Ghana Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale. He also had his work shown at the 56th International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale in Italy. He is a product of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Once again formal education was not left out in his grooming.

The days of tagging individuals in the arts as dropouts are of no relevance in the modern era. It has been proven that those who did not formally educate themselves to understand the industry they find themselves in are lagging behind.

It is imperative to have some level of education to at least understand the business aspect of the arts in order not to be exploited when it comes to contractual agreements. Many have laboured their lives away due to some bad contacts they signed.

Moreover, one will not be forever young, having in mind that retirement is inevitable. In your retirement age, one could go into consultancy work if one is well versed in that area which needs some form of formal education to understand modern trends.

Parents and guardians should discard the colonial mentality of killing the potential of their children because of a skewed understanding of the arts. They should read more on current trends for a better appreciation of the arts and this helps them guide their offsprings in making informed decisions that will protect their careers.

To allay the fears of parents, the arts industry is now booming with countless opportunities, making it is financially rewarding than the most of the idolized traditional jobs. They just have to be taught to grab all the opportunities with both hands under proper guidance.