August 25, 2023

The week-long Chale Wote Street Art Festival offers a venue for Ghana’s creators, artists, musicians, and makers of immersive content to congregate in James Town (one of the oldest districts in the country) and bring their works to life. Every August, the CHALE WOTE Street Art Festival features more than 200 local and international artists from Ghana. By collaborating in the creation and appreciation of art, the festival aims to foster interactions between domestic and foreign artists and patrons. Every festival has a different theme that unites the celebrations each year. The annual theme highlights the festival’s varied nature as well as the history of Ghanaian culture and, more broadly, the African diaspora. The theme of this year’s Street Art Festival is Magneto Motherland, illustrating the interwoven tensions that set off African resistance during the wars that eventually forced out European rule in Africa. The event kicked off on the 21st of August and will run until the 27th. It’s all taking place in Osu, a neighborhood in central Accra, Ghana. The Grand Finale of the Festival will be held at the Black Star Square, Osu. here’s what we know about the festival so far; DAY OF REMEMBERING “ALL WHITE PROCESSION” With a strong sense of cultural significance, the festival started off with the Day of Remembering Procession (All White Attire). the story of the enslaved is reframed With this procession. painting a vivid picture of slaves being forced into an agonizing fate as they made their way to ships off the coast of Osu many years ago. THIS IS NOT MAKE BELIEVE EXHIBITION BY AFUABE  The Ghanaian art collective Afuabe has officially opened their exhibition at the street art festival, “This is Not Make-Believe”. The tale of Afro-Brazilian abolitionists struggling to free themselves from slavery during the Male uprising in Bahia in 1835 is prominently depicted. The majority of them traveled back to modern-day Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria. The exhibition is open until August 27, 2023. THE LABS The LABS is a five-day event that includes artist talks, movie screenings, unique workshops, DJ sets, mixers, and live performances. During this event, artists taking part in CHALE WOTE 2023 will speak with audiences about their creative processes, projects, and partnerships as they delve deeply into the festival’s subject, Magneto Motherland. Film Labs works hand in hand with the Africa Film Society and the Black Star International Film Festival. GRAND FINALE ON THE 26TH AND 27TH The grand finale taking place at Black Star Square, Osu and other venues on the festival map, including christiansborg castle gardens and freedom & Justice from Saturday 26th August, 2023- Sunday 27th August, 2023. will not only feature dance and drama presentations, but also exhibitions from indigenous artists, like an aluminum sculpture by Tei Huagie, “blue” by kein diallo, and “stairway into the ether.” A 150-foot Ga Samai-designed drape in majestic beauty by Naa Dei Other finale events include performances under the theme of art as ritual and ceremony, an art and crafts market for Accra’s artisans and makers far and near to bring out their creations for a pop up sale and so much more. Events like Chale Wote are arguably the most genuine depictions of African culture expressed through different mediums, by Africans. A true platform to showcase African Art. Check out some streetstyle pictures from the event so far below;