A university don has said with the current reality of global economic uncertainties and pervasive poverty, there is the need for cultural events planners to be creative in order to compete for attention.

The Head, Department of Theatre and Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Professor Emmanuel Dandaura, disclosed this while delivering a paper at the 2nd edition of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) organized workshop on, “Repositioning Cultural Workers for Improved Productivity,” for staffers of the Federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation at Oasis Grand Hotel & Gardens, Mararaba, Nasarawa State.

In the paper, titled, “Principles and Practice of Cultural Events Management,” Dandaura who is also the Festival Director/Chairman, Nzeh Mada Festival Secretariat in Akwanga Local Government of Nasarawa State, said with majority of the populace grappling with the challenges of managing meagre funds available to spend vis-à-vis the high cost of other commodities, most people are now deploying fewer resources to entertainment and leisure activities.

According to him, the situation has got so bad that most hitherto teaming participants at cultural events have now become selective and sophisticated in their choices, taste and propensity to respond to events invitations, saying the situation has fast underscored the need for more effective and efficient management of resources available to the event planner to execute cultural events.

His words: “The creativity of the average event planner is highly tasked since he has to compete for attention of the target participants for his event with many other choices from which they have to decide. He needs to be more circumspect, if he has to realise the objectives of his event and guarantee its proper attendance by the target participants.”

Sharing his experience as Creative Consultant to many local and international festivals, Dandaura said, to ensure effective management of cultural events, the events manager must identify and consider as salient, some basic principles, which include, the safety and comfort of participants, satisfaction of stakeholders, welfare of talents and volunteers, timelines and sensitivity to deals.

He however informed that for the cultural events manager to achieve the above, effectively, he must have effective leadership skills, have a trained eye for details, set and observe timelines as strictly as possible, be an efficient cost manager, have the ability to network and raise money, have media relations and event planning experience.

Caleb Nor

Corporate Affairs Unit

NICO, Abuja