Exploring The Prospect Of Entrepreneurship In The Department Of Performing Arts: A Case Study Of Performing Arts Akwa Ibom State University
Chapter One
General Introduction
Background to the Study
Contemporarily, it has been observed that Nigerian universities turn out numerous graduates for the already drenched labor market, therefore, business intelligence and skills is becoming essential now more than ever, because the Nigerian state needs more job initiators than job seekers. It has also come to light that the critical factor which could limit the surging rate of unemployment among Nigerian youths is the introduction of entrepreneurial skills to condense dependence on government for job creation. It is believed that entrepreneurial teaching will bring about an increase in self-employment, self-reliance, reduce national poverty level, and strengthen national economy.
However, this understanding breeds a strong advocacy for the connubial of necessity between skills acquisition and head knowledge, for the benefit of students especially those in the arts faculty and by specification those in the Performing Arts. In the light of this, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; the then President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2004, gave a directive mandating every Nigerian undergraduate to study an entrepreneurial course which will assist them to develop positive attitudes and skills for self-employment (NEEDS: 2004). Following this directive, the National Universities Commission directed that courses in Entrepreneurial Studies; as a matter of compulsion, be offered by all undergraduates regardless of their major.
Entrepreneurship is one of the latest trends in Nigerian tertiary education. It is simply defined by Wikipedia as “the process of starting a business or other organization” (wikipedia.org/wiki/entrepreneur). However, Nwangwu elaborates that, “entrepreneurship is a process of bringing together the factors of production which include; land, labour and capital so as to provide a product or service for public consumption” (2). In Araba’s opinion, the operational definition of entrepreneurship is the “willingness and ability of a person or persons to acquire educational skills to explore and exploit investment opportunities, establish and manage a successful business enterprise” (22).
With the foregoing submissions therefore, “an entrepreneur can be said to be an innovating individual who has developed an ongoing business activity where none existed before” (Meredith 3). Wikipedia further corroborates this by saying that the entrepreneur develops a business model, acquires the human and other required resources, and is fully responsible for its success or failure (wikipedia.org/wiki/entrepreneur). In plain terms however, an entrepreneur can be referred to as someone who starts, consistently runs, takes risks, grows and nurtures his own business to success. With this definition, it is presumed that the nature of entrepreneurship is business, its elements are; innovation, consistent running, risks, and nurture, while its sole purpose is success and profit maximization.
Performing Arts is a collaborative art in which performers or actors enact stories or plays on stage or any performance area, for an audience which comprises of members of the society. Worldwide, theatre has proved to be a veritable agent of change, performing several societal functions such as; entertainment, education, didactic, information and cultural sustenance among others. As a forum for interaction for various members of the society, theatre serves as a social institution, and theatre artistes as social artistes. Thus, the theatre is fundamentally a creative venture for the benefit of the society.
Performing Arts as a field of study, is structured to empower students with vocational and life skills tailored to support communities. Being a profession of ‘knowing and doing’ rather than ‘knowing alone’, theatre harpers on talent and expertise demands specific experience in various areas of specialization, because many artistes juggle for the same positions. This accounts for why auditions are specifically called for actors, dancers, singers and other art workers, but never theatre artistes in general. The theatre profession is fundamentally driven by an entrepreneurial spirit because theatre artistes are trained to create employment for themselves.
Performing Arts training teaches effective multi-tasking, thereby preparing students for the labour market as the entrepreneurial business skills in Performing Arts begin in acting class or rehearsals for productions. The training that they undertake is (perhaps without most participants’ knowledge) preparing the practitioners for a possible life as an entrepreneur and theatre practitioners. However, acting is seen to be the window into the industry of performing arts entrepreneurship and from there, many armature practitioners, continue acting or find new talents, passions and interest, like directing, writing, producing, costuming, designing and all other aspects of theatre such as technical theatre, theatre management, thus contributing to the general growth and development of the amateur Performing Arts entrepreneur towards a trained mind in respect to Performing Arts and entrepreneurship (Nwangwu, 8).
However, the level of entrepreneurship in the Department of Performing Arts, Akwa Ibom State University from the inception of the department cannot be over emphasized based on the level of developments experienced in various areas of performing arts specializations. For example, in the area of costume and makeup, it is very feasible that practice influences the general fashion industry. The more costumes are design for a production and displayed in play productions, the more the audience gets inspired to create a resemblance of such costumes for their personal use. It is pertinent to note that with more investment in terms of funds and provision of resources for the practices of craftsmanship in the Department of Performing Arts in Akwa Ibom State University, within few years, the level of entrepreneurial growth will be at its peak.
“Improvisation class develop a sensitivity of imagination that develops entrepreneurship spirits and urge for theatre practitioners to learn how to say “yes” and to follow impulses without fear, judgment or resources through the knowledge of improvisation” (Oshionebo,22). Similarly, theatre practitioners often find themselves in situations and must rely on quick thinking problem solving and the following of impulses such as improvisation. Furthermore, the story telling skills learnt as performers, play well into branding artists entrepreneur in businesses in the aspect of crating painting, scripts or any form of performative arts appealing to the eyes. The research skills used to research characters and plays can simply be repurpose to research ones’ market and competition. The understanding and experience in collaborating aids in building a culture round creative business that represents values: personality, professionalism, political, artist etc. just like the cast plays the role of teaching theatre entrepreneurs how to hire employees and at the same time still maximize profit. However, the focus point of this study is to explore the prospect for entrepreneurship in Performing Arts; a case study of the Department of Performing Arts, Akwa Ibom State University.
Statement of the Problem
The development of Performing Arts and entrepreneurship in Akwa Ibom State and her university can be seen as one of the necessary condition for economic development. Problem addressed by the study is that theatre and entrepreneurship is not given due consideration neither has government form policies that can support this entrepreneurial practice in Performing Arts industry. These problems have caused remarkably reduction in the volume, variety, production and employment possibilities for performing arts entrepreneurship. Added to the above is difficulty confronted the department of Performing Arts Akwa Ibom University in accessing financial credits, but the most militating factor is lack of government interest and support for performing arts entrepreneurship. However, this study is expected to solve above stated challenges militating performing arts entrepreneurship.
1.3 Research Questions
Based on this research topic, the researcher through this research work is therefore addresses the following research questions:
What are the entrepreneurial options in performing arts in Akwa Ibom State University?
What are the manual for intending performing arts entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State
University and the state at large?
What are the challenges of performing arts entrepreneurship in general?
Objective of Study
To explore the prospect for entrepreneurship in Performing Arts Akwa Ibom State University is the view of this study, thus finding out the factors inhibiting the development of performing arts and entrepreneurship in Akwa Ibom State. The study aims to achieve the following objectives:
Identify (theatre) entrepreneurial theories and entrepreneurial options that can be explored in performing arts in Akwa Ibom State University
Evaluate the manual for intending performing arts entrepreneurs in Akwa Ibom State University and the state at large development.
Evaluate the challenges and prospect of performing arts entrepreneurship in Akwa Ibom State University and offer suggestions aimed at creating an enabling environment for the practice.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study will be of immense benefit to the student of Performing Arts Department, Akwa Ibom State University, people of Akwa Ibom State, the business community and theatre practitioners. The research work will also serve as a guide to other researchers that wants to embark on similar research on theatre and entrepreneurship in Akwa Ibom State in perspective and the nation at large.
1.6 Delimitation of the Study
The study covers entrepreneurship in performing arts in Akwa Ibom State University with focus entrepreneurial options exploited by theatre practitioners.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship refers to the concept of developing and managing a business venture in order to gain profit by taking several risks in the corporate world. Simply put, entrepreneurship is the willingness to start a new business. Entrepreneurship has played a vital role in the economic development of the expanding global marketplace.
Improvisation: Improvisation is the activity of making or doing something not planned for. In performing art, it is a spontaneous performance without specific or scripted preparation. The skills of improvisation can apply to many different faculties, across all artistic, scientific, physical, cognitive, academic, and non-academic disciplines.
Performing Arts: Performing arts refers to forms of art in which artists use their voices, bodies or inanimate objects to convey artistic expression. It is different from visual arts, which is when artists use paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Performing arts include a range of disciplines which are performed in front of a live audience.
Theatre: Theatre is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music, and dance. Elements of art, such as painted scenery and stagecraft such as lighting are used to enhance the physicality, presence and immediacy of the experience.
Skill Acquisition: Skill acquisition is the art of learning to do something to earn a living.
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