Minister of Tourism Michael Usi has challenged artists in the country to start embracing various digital platforms where they can upload their work if they are to compete on the international market.
Usi made the remarks when he presided over the launch of the Malawi Digital Archive Project by the Copyright Society of Malawi (COSOMA).
Addressing delegates at the launch, Usi said time has come for local artists to start grabbing headlines on the international scene just like fellow artists from neighbouring countries like Tanzania.
“Why should it always be us inviting foreign artists to perform in the country and our artists don’t get invited to perform elsewhere”? wondered Usi.
According to Usi artists must take advantage of readily available digital platforms and upload their work so that it can be appreciated elsewhere outside Malawi.
“We can’t just be competing among ourselves. We need to penetrate the international market and that can only be achieved if our works are uploaded on internationally recognised digital platforms like YouTube,” said Usi.
In his presentation representing fellow artists, Rapper Noel Chikoleka popularly known as Phyzix said it is worrisome that Malawi as a country is not registered on internationally recognised digital platform like YouTube for artists to be financially benefitting from the platform.
“Unlike other countries which are under YouTube Partnerships, Malawi is not under the YouTube partnership and that makes us as artists difficult to benefit financially when we upload our creative works on YouTube hence calling upon government to intervene,” said Chikoleka.
Chikoleka has since called upon the corporate world to start utilising YouTube to upload their adverts on the platform so that the country can earn a partnership status with YouTube.
Speaking earlier, Maureen Masamba, COSOMA Board Chairperson said the Digital Archive Project will ensure that there is no loss in quality of creative works that will be produced.
“This project will allow data to be shared and propagated without loss and even in the event of theft or disaster we will still be able to retrieve all the data shared,” said Masamba.
COSOMA is implementing the 100 Million Kwacha Digital Archive Project with financial support from Sound Connect Fund.
