Ghanaian ‘artivist’ and sustainability advocate Beatrice “Bee” Arthur says this year’s Global Entrepreneurship Festival (GEF) must push global conversations on the role of art in justice, sustainability and technology, as Accra prepares to host the world’s largest innovation gathering from November 21 to 23.
Arthur, invited as a Special Guest, said she looks forward to contributing perspectives on sustainability, decoloniality, and the work of theWaste Afterlife Art Movement, which focuses on transforming waste into artistic expression and environmental activism.
The three-day conference is expected to convene innovators, policymakers, and creatives from more than 70 countries under the theme “The AI-Powered Entrepreneur: Creating a Sustainable Planet.”
Arthur said she hopes the festival will address long-standing barriers that limit the visibility and impact of African artists. She noted that creative work remains central to shifting narratives on justice and sustainability. “Art is not merely aesthetic, it is activism, memory, critique, and imagination,” she said, adding that global platforms must recognise the role of artists in challenging harmful systems and inspiring equitable futures.
She also pointed to structural inequalities in the global creative economy, saying many African artists continue to operate without access to international markets, residencies, funding, and networks. She urged GEF 2025 to offer more concrete pathways for collaboration and mobility beyond Ghana.
On technology, Arthur called for clearer frameworks to protect creators as AI tools become more widespread. She said creatives need systems that safeguard authorship, heritage and intellectual rights. “Technology should support artists rather than replace or appropriate their work,” she said.
Arthur welcomed efforts by the government to establish new funding mechanisms for artists working in sustainability and environmental justice. She said with the right investment, the country’s creative sector could become a major contributor to green innovation and job creation.
“Creativity remains one of our most powerful tools for rethinking sustainability, identity, and justice,” she said, adding that the festival offers an important platform for elevating these discussions.
The Global Entrepreneurship Festival will take place in Accra with delegates expected from Africa, Europe, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia.
