Grammy’s ‘Recording Academy’ eyes Rwanda, Kenya, Nigeria and UAE for enhanced presence! Cites rapid music growth
The Recording Academy, the organisation behind the annual prestigious GRAMMY Awards, has announced a collaboration agreement with Rwanda, a few other selected African countries and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to develop a framework to enhance the Academy's presence and services.
The academy said in a statement published on its website (11 June 2024) that it is embarking on a path to extend its efforts to support music creators globally and bolster the Academy's services in these rapidly growing music regions.
“The Academy is working with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB), the Ministries of Culture in Kenya, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Nigeria, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the Ministry of Sports, Arts and Culture in South Africa. Additionally, MOUs have been signed with Ghana and the Ivory Coast. Through these collaborations, and in alignment with our mission, the Academy looks to explore several key initiatives,” the statement says.
Through the collaboration, music creators from these regions would be provided with a platform and resources to advance their music careers tailored to their needs.
Rwandan (and other regional) musicians would benefit from advocating robust Intellectual Property (IP) legislation and protections for music creators.
The Recording Academy’s presence would also enhance support for existing members with cross-cultural learning, providing numerous benefits to its current and future members and fueling the creative economy in Africa and the Middle East by collaborating with different partners.
“This is exciting because music is one of humanity’s greatest natural resources. It is critical that the people who dedicate themselves to creating music have support, resources and opportunities, no matter where they are from.”, said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.
"Rwanda embraces this vision of connecting the continent’s creative minds, marking a pivotal moment in our history where our culture and spirit are celebrated and shared with the world,” said RDB CEO Francis Gatare.
