The Director of the National Theatre of Ghana, Henry Herbert Malm, has called on stakeholders in the arts industry to leverage this year’s Ghana Theatre Festival (GTF) as a platform to generate innovative ideas aimed at revitalising the country’s theatre arts.
Speaking at the official launch of the festival, themed “Showcasing the Rich Diversity of Ghanaian Culture Through Performing Arts,” he emphasised the importance of reflection, collaboration, and renewed investment in the creative arts sector.
“Really, we stand for theatre and we think it is important that at the end of it all, we are able to coordinate something, give a platform for them to express themselves, come together, interact, talk about ideas, problems, and prospects in the industry, so that we can look forward to how it develops.
“If we’ve gone through a whole year of working, facing obstacles, and achieving a few things, we should find time to reflect, and this festival offers theatre players that opportunity,” he said.
Theatre Director and Team Lead at Image Bureau, George Quaye, also underscored the vast economic potential of the arts and called for stronger financial backing to drive growth in the sector.
“Any country that is not willing to project its arts and invest heavily in it is probably not worth dying for, because without the arts, we have nothing as a people. Everything that makes us Ghanaian are symbols of artistic expression. Globally, what we know about nations is largely through their arts.
“That is why an initiative like this ought to have strong government support and funding. It should attract the entire continent and grow even bigger,” Quaye said.
The 2025 Ghana Theatre Festival, scheduled for Tuesday, 23rd September to Sunday, 28th September at the National Theatre in Accra, promises a vibrant celebration of Ghana’s artistic heritage and cultural diversity.
Key highlights of this year’s festival include:
Legends Night: Honouring outstanding contributors to Ghana’s creative and performing arts industry.
Senior High School Theatre Performances: Promoting theatre arts among students and providing a platform for schools to showcase their creative works.
Professional Performances: Featuring the Department of Music, School of Performing Arts (University of Ghana), Banarackor Consult, Image Bureau, April Communications, and the three resident companies of the National Theatre,Ghana Dance Ensemble, National Symphony Orchestra, and National Drama Company (Abibigromma).
Symposium on Arts Taxation: Exploring “the impact of the current tax regime on the fortunes of the Arts and Culture industry,” led by officials and tax experts.
In addition, audiences can look forward to art exhibitions, masterclasses, dance aerobics, live painting, a food bazaar, and several other creative showcases throughout the week.
The Ghana Theatre Festival continues to serve as a vital platform for celebrating the richness of Ghanaian culture while fostering dialogue, creativity, and investment in the country’s arts sector.
