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In the wake of over fifty editions delving into the international Black diaspora, this represents a final column. The tenure has been deeply gratifying, and great thanks offered to every one of the dedicated followers.

A Look Inside the Accra Festival

Attending the displays, presentations and shows of this event, observers witness how exceptional art feeds and shapes a nation's heritage and identity. The centrepiece was certainly Serge Attukwei Clottey’s stunning [Dis]Appearing Rituals: An Open Lab of Now for Tomorrow, which displayed his pioneering afrogallonism for all to see: a concept that reimagines water vessels into captivating works of art, tapestries of metallic tones. The exhibition was designed as a testament to the strength of the historic district, a historic area of Accra.

This area – largely home to the Ga ethnic group, a fishing community – is also where a great number of returning Africans arrived from Brazil and settled in the 19th century. Referred to as the Tabom, they introduced Brazilian language and customs.

In every part of Jamestown, one observes a mix of building designs. Standing is Franklin House, with its distinct colonial-era construction and arched doorways. Another landmark is the famous lighthouse of Jamestown, constructed in the 1871 and subsequently given its distinctive red-and-white-striped exterior.

Traditions of Mourning

Also notable about Jamestown is the pervasive presence of memorial notices. Wherever you look, whether affixed to walls or on larger billboards, you’ll see service information and terms of farewell. In Jamestown, as throughout Ghana, funerals are large-scale communal events.

In Clottey’s impressive show, all of the visual and auditory essence of Jamestown are evoked – especially in the immersive beach-themed installation. In this space, you’re soothed by the audio of crashing waves with granules underfoot, while shacks, draped nets and depictions of canoes celebrate its vibrant, multigenerational maritime community. Yet standing in this gallery, it's hard to ignore the mountains of cast-off garments that mar the aesthetics and tranquillity of the shoreline.

Beyond the Headline Act

Accra Cultural Week also features a great deal more. Within an unfinished structure at the campus, creator Sylvester presented a deeply moving minimalist collection, an emotionally powerful, stripped-back presentation that displayed sculptures and artworks produced in partnership with metalworkers.

And then there is the Yaa Asantewaa Art prize for female Ghanaian artists. It included the inaugural exhibition of a recent winner, whose work references personal family archives to craft a depiction of life in the nation's recent history. The event also crowned a new champion, whose multidisciplinary work is deeply focused on the craft techniques of women in the Volta region.

A Lasting Legacy

While the overseas community has more and more been attracted home to Ghana in the winter months, more and more are thinking about visiting earlier in the year to engage with the region’s festival period. Between Accra Cultural Week and regional art fairs, what is evident are art scenes that are not merely emerging or “upcoming” but have forged an whole landscape that is here to stay.

In the end, the visit provides a vision of Accra that resembles a manifesto for environmental protection and the safeguarding of heritage. It is a resonant testament to perseverance in all its manifestations.