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Black Stars Square in Osu to host Chale Wote Street Art Festival
The 13th edition of Chale Wote Street Art Festival will be held at the Black Star Square in Osu.
Africa’s most vibrant street art festival opens on Monday 21st to Sunday 27th August. This 2023 cycle of Chale Wote Street Art Festival is a celebration of over a decade of offering some of the most iconic public art interventions by African artists, as well as co-creations with collaborators from across the world.
Black Star Square, the adjoining streets and the Osu community, will witness a new wave of artists creating some of the most innovative contemporary works of art in Africa.
All programming throughout the festival week will be held within the Osu municipality.
This year’s Chale Wote Street Art Festival will have no activities in James Town.
According to the organisers, the new festival perimeter will feature open air mural exhibitions by leading Ghanaian and international artists, showcasing work inspired by the rebellion of enslaved Afro-Brazilians in 1835 Salvador Bahia and their glorious return to present day Ghana, Togo and Nigeria.
The story is also performed as a musical theatre piece called Memory Movement Freedom by multiple community based performance, dance troupes and brass band.
For their participation this year, Ghanaian art collective AFUABE will create live murals detailing the former Gold Coast’s long history of resistance against colonial invasions.
Other showcases will include performance art, graffiti, 4 music stages with 120 musicians and bands, LABS, Salons, design, photography, processions, street theater and the SHIKA SHIKA Art Fair that will host independent artists at the Christianborg castle.
The art fair supports and showcases dynamic presentations and works from intergenerational artists working outside of gallery spaces.
The castle gardens will also host the Chale Wote Film
LABS and knowledge sharing salons from August 22 to 24. The salons will offer hands-on digital art and photography training sessions for visiting creators and the general public.
Screening at the Film LABS are 17 films from Ghana, the Caribbean. Europe and Africa. Visitors can also book walking tours to visit historical sites and buildings with fascinating stories within the Osu community.The world famous HIGHLIFE CAFÉ opens at the Black Star Square for the first time
alongside the Accra Cookout serving the city’s favourite dishes and obscure delicacies.
They have entreated lovers of arts to join them at the Black Star Square and Christianborg Castle for the most iconic celebration of art in Africa, hosting the industry’s biggest acts for an unforgettable multi-disciplinary art
experience.
Since its inception in 2011, Chale Wote has developed an unrivalled
reputation for consistently featuring hundreds of performances, exhibitions across stages, throughout the festival grounds. African audiences are now connected to new perspectives of authentic creators who are developing spaces dedicated to independent art production through the festival year after year.
Advertisers interested in brand placement and exhibitor pavilions have been asked to contact the festival operations unit.
The event is supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Hon. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings (PhD), Member of Parliament for Korle Klottey Constituency,
Arts & Culture, Ghana Tourism Authority, Accra [Dot] Alt, CITI FM/TV, Institute Francais, Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly, Ghana Museums & Monuments Board, Lododo Art and PramCiti TV
.
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ASWIM lauds Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang
The Association of Women in the Media, (ASWIM) has congratulated Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang on her historic achievement as Ghana’s first female Vice President.
The association said her trailblazing journey with sterling accomplishments from academia to politics, is undoubtedly, a vivid inspiration to countless women and girls across Ghana and Africa.
This was contained in a statement signed by its president, Mrs Mavis Kitcher, and copied to The Spectator on Tuesday in Accra.
“ASWIM celebrates your remarkable career, marked by numerous firsts, including the first female Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, (UCC), and the first female to hold a professional chair in Ghana, (UCC),” the statement said.
It said the accomplishments of Prof Opoku- Agyemang were clear testament to the brilliance, resilience and resourceful nature of the complete beautiful African woman.
“As she takes on this new role, ASWIM proudly lauds her commitment to education, women’s empowerment, distinguished public service and patriotism and is very confident that her pursuit of excellence, love for humanity, humility, decency, modesty and commitment to the welfare of the vulnerable will characterise Ghana’s political leadership and public service,” the statement added.
By Jemima Esinam Kuatsinu
Entertainment
Demolition of Fantasy Dome unfair — Mark Okraku-Mantey
Months after the Fantasy Dome was dismantled to make way for construction at the Ghana International Trade Fair site, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Mark Okraku-Mantey, has expressed concern over the manner the facility was destroyed.
In an interview on Daybreak Hitz with Andy Dosty, Mr Okraku-Mantey criticised the handling of the dome’s dismantling, suggesting that it could have been done without causing damage.
“I don’t think that leadership gave instructions that they should do what happened. The structure was a prefab but I hear the people destroyed it. That one, we cannot defend it. It is unfair to him (owner). Sometimes, you give instructions and people will go and do things that will make you look bad,” he stated.
When asked about any punitive measure against the workers responsible for the destruction, Mr Okraku-Mantey clarified that the Trade Fair does not fall under his ministry.
He said he had previously contacted the owner, Leslie Quaynor, to discuss relocating the dome, and even suggested the National Museum as a potential site, though it was too small.
The demolition of the 20,000-seater Fantasy Dome occurred on March 16, 2024.
According to Dr Agnes Adu, CEO of the Ghana Trade Fair Company Limited, the action was taken after multiple notices were given to Quaynor to vacate the premises for redevelopment, as per their tenancy agreement.
Dr Adu noted that all previous tenants had complied except for the Fantasy Dome.
Quaynor, in an interview with JoyNews, confirmed that his lease had ended, and was in the process of relocating the dome.
He had requested an extension, which was denied, leading him to seek a writ and an injunction from an Accra High Court to halt the demolition.
Despite this, the demolition proceeded, causing significant damage to the structure.
Quaynor described the incident as a major setback, not only for his business but also for the entertainment industry, which relies on venues like the Fantasy Dome.
