KP’s artistic expressions remained eclipsed in 2020
Editorial
Artist’s community and literati remained on roads in protest for most part of the year rather than involved in cultural and literary activities. Though the provincial government was able to come up with a comprehensive cultural policy, a 28-page document covering numerous aspects of art, culture and literature both tangible and intangible heritage. Artists and writers praised the first ever policy of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government soon after it came into power and expressed the hope that it would be implemented in letter and spirit but unfortunately, dreams of artists and writers were shattered because neither their issues and problems were redressed nor their voice was heard. There came first wave of Covid-19 and dark curtain fell down on all kinds of art and culture activities thus further rendered artists and writers left with no option but either to quit the profession or die of starvation. Thanks to a few private firms and well-to-do artists who came to the rescue of around 2500 visual and performing artists and also extended their financial support to literati. According to artist’s representatives and heads, they had conveyed their list of genuine demands to the high-ups and the concerned officials, including the Federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture Department but to no avail and if their demands were not met by mid-January of the next year, artists’ community members would stage sit-in in the capital. To address the issue, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government should form a committee comprising of senior artists and writers and enlist their issues and genuine demands so that artistic activities could be revived in the province. The most trumpeted cultural policy must see light of the day, including establishment of endowment fund for the uplift of artists and literati on war footing while giving lollypop will no longer work to hide face from hill of the problems and artists and folk singers must enter the new year with boasting confidence.
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