Community, Generosity, Longevity

ACCRA | On September 30, 2023, members of Accra’s creative community gathered at Worldfaze to participate in a dynamic panel discussion hosted by OtherNetwork revolving around the pivotal theme of nurturing collaboration among independent cultural venues, while offering insights and strategies to ensure their sustainability and growth.

Together with Abraham Tettey and Federico Martelli from the OtherNetwork team, four prominent figures brought their unique perspectives to the table: Kwesi Botchway, founder of WorldFaze, Ato Annan, co-director of the Foundation for Contemporary Art - Ghana, Nuna Adisenu-Doe, founder of Compound House Gallery, and Assumpta Dickens, Director of the Judith-Ellen Foundation.

The primary objective was to leverage the potential of the projects and spaces represented by the panellists in a way that could encourage a sharing of resources that would benefit the artistic community in Accra as a whole. Beyond just serving artists themselves, art has become much more of a mainstream interest in Accra over the past few years. As Assumpta Dickens highlighted, a few years ago more people had started to enter a gallery space and passively look at the artwork. Now, they enter these spaces more purposefully, and are open to having a dialogue around the work on display.

The discussion yielded several key takeaways. Firstly, the panel underlined the significance of empowering creatives to occupy influential positions within the industry. This move, they argued, is critical in ensuring the allocation of resources for the development of the creative sector. Although there is significant mistrust in the Government in Ghana at the moment, the panel emphasised the unique insights that artists possess over their own needs, and how they have the potential to significantly influence the formation and development of cultural policy, should the government be open to collaborating. The artists’ involvement was seen as instrumental in shaping the nation’s cultural landscape.

Straying from the starting point of independent art spaces, the panel addressed the international commercial success of young Ghanaian artists, but highlighted the need for affordable options to nurture a community of local art collectors. They discussed more flexible options for the pricing of artwork that would have the potential to enhance accessibility and support for local artists in the long run. Furthermore, the establishment of systems and frameworks was considered essential for educating the public and raising awareness about the significance of the arts. The panel stressed the importance of mechanisms that encourage mutual accountability among independent cultural spaces, such as setting up collectors associations. This system of checks and balances was deemed vital to maintain transparency and trust within the community.