A Creative Arts Business Consultant, Benjamin Oduro Arhin Jnr aka Bnoska has advised musicians to familiarize themselves with the copyright issues so they can properly benefit from any royalties that may be due to them. He was speaking at a music business forum organized by the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) as part of activities to mark this year’s Ghana Music Week celebrations.
According to Bnoska, provided musicians know the sources of revenue open to them and how to take advantage of such opportunities, they can monetize their works effectively. In a presentation entitled “Understanding Royalties as a Musician” he spoke about the origins of royalties and what they are, the various types of royalties and the benefits and challenges of the copyright system.
A marketing and artiste relations officer of Aftown Music, Antoine Mensah spoke about “Branding and Marketing Your Music via Social Media” and also on how to sign on to Aftown Music which he described as a digital sales and streaming service designed with the African market and conditions in mind.
In his welcome address, the acting President of the Union, Bessa Simons stressed that the Union is keen on enhancing the capacities of its members to ensure that they are able to exploit their musical talents for their benefit.
The Membership Officer of the Union, Richmond Adu-Poku spoke about the benefits of MUSIGA membership and how members can access these benefits. He noted that the Union has a number of media platforms for members to utilize for their promotions.
Present were regional chairpersons of MUSIGA, members and other musicians.