PNCA working apparatus: NA panel recommends structural change
A National Assembly standing committee on Monday came up with a comprehensive 34-point list of recommendations to make the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA) more efficient and effective.
At a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, members also endorsed a recommendation which provided for a structural change in the working apparatus of the PNCA.
The committee members said the PNCA director-general (DG) position was a specialist job and required merit appointments.
“The PNCA director-general should be selected on a competitive basis after shortlisting names from a pool of artists that have considerable contributions and backgrounds in arts and culture,” the committee said.
“The PNCA governing body needs to have significant representation from mid to late career art professionals and their terms should be rotated every three years”, says one of the recommendations.
The committee also recommended that the current board of governors and PNCA’s executive committee should be made functional at once to give regular input in line with legal provisions.
“There should also be a larger oversight body or committee that oversees PNCA work so that initiatives and problems are identified and scrutinised and solutions made.”
The committee also recommended that the PNCA should design an agenda on a priority basis to create employment opportunities for certified artists.
The committee also called for revival of the National Art Exhibition and National Music Festival besides devising future action plans to assist artists in getting international awards.
The committee also asked federal and provincial governments to give special permissions to artists to use vacant spaces or abandoned buildings for the establishment of temporary museums, studios and exhibition spaces.
It also recommended the establishment of art galleries in smaller cities so that art activities could be revived across the country.
“The government must promote a protectionist policy and form barriers to deny entry of imported entertainment products so that the local art is nurtured,” read another suggestion. “Broadcasters need to ensure strict adherence to copyright laws and royalty collection for both local and foreign content aired by them.”
It has also been suggested that the government direct Pakistani embassies to help hold art activities abroad besides holding international-level art exhibitions in the country to promote a soft image of the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2014.
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