BEYOND PERFORMANCE: CONTRIBUTIONS OF SELECTED PERFORMING ARTISTS TO SOCIETAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Most people in developing nations do not see any correlation between performing arts and development. They only recognize performing artists for the quality of their productions and technical expertise in performance. Little searchlight is beamed on their off-performance contributions to social and economic development of their people. The objective of this paper is to highlight the significant contributions of some selected performing artists to the development of their nations in particular and the world at large. Five performing artists were selected from different parts of Africa: Hafiz Halim of Egypt, Youssou N'dor of Senegal, Taiwo Ajai Lycett of Nigeria, Malongo Casquelourd of Congo and Marian Makeba of South Africa.

Findings revealed that the selected performing artists have shown interest in and contributed significantly to health, education, socio-political development, tourism, cultural development, as well as provision of charity for the less privileged in their respective countries. The paper then concludes that performing arts education can only be given the deserved recognition when significant contributions of performing artists are articulated. Performing artists also need to pay more attention to socio-economic and political development and impact positively on the lives of their people. It then recommends that more efforts should be channelled by performing artists towards identifying with and contributing to societal development.