With
the outbreak of covid-19 pandemic which has led to lockdowns and cancellations
of events around the world, the National Centre for Arts and Culture (NCAC),
has conveyed its solidarity and moral support message to the entire Gambian
artistic and creative community over the worrying coronavirus, which has since
been declared a pandemic by the WHO.
Coronavirus
pandemic, also called covid-19, is fast spreading with killings worldwide, as
the daily update worldwide records.
In
the solidarity message, Hassoum Ceesay, director general of NCAC said artistes
have felt the shock of losing revenue and audiences as venues, galleries,
studios, museums have been closed “while contracts put on hold, festivals and
performances cancelled as precautionary measures to control the pandemic.”
As
the Centre shares the creative and cultural community plight, he said, it is
their hope that this emergency situation will end soonest to enable cultural
arts and cultural events resume as normal for creators to return to earning
their livelihoods and creating for the community to enjoy.
In the meantime, from the National Centre for Arts and Culture, he encouraged artists to continue to create in the safety of their homes so that as soon as the pandemic ends, “book launches, music gigs, dance, comedy sessions, festivals, drama activities, film shows, fashion shows and photo sessions will resume,” as the NCAC has programmed for them.
