The Impact of Globalization on <i>The Arts</i> in Contemporary Ghana

Abstract

Cultural diversity has now become a fact of life in today’s global village and many people have been experiencing the negative effects of the globalization process. The objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of globalization on certain aspects of the arts in the Ghanaian cultural milieu in recent times. The study is guided by preliminary qualitative studies based on formal and informal interviews, direct observations, questionnaire administration and review of pertinent documents. The data collected was analyzed against the backdrop of Ghanaian cultural diversity as far back as the pre-colonial era. The study revealed a number of positive and negative impacts of globalization on the visual arts, architecture, the performing arts, music, film and language. The study also brought up polysemous issues that boarder on the positive and negative influences of globalization on the arts. Globalization has been found to be analogous to carrying porcupine in a haversack, a task which is a combination of joy and pain or often associated with good and evil – in fact, a necessary evil in the Ghanaian context. This paper concludes that it is a sine qua non for Ghana to be part of the global village in today’s cutting-edge information and technological awakening, but it is equally imperative to be circumspect and strike a symbiotic balance that will help retain true Ghanaian cultural values void of moral crises, violence and drug abuse.