Ghana’s Creative Arts Agency is ramping up efforts to redefine the country’s fashion and creative sectors as engines of economic growth, moving beyond long-held perceptions that reduce art to entertainment.
At the Fashion Dialogue Series held in Korle Gonno, Accra, Gideon Aryeequaye, Executive Director of the Creative Arts Agency Ghana, criticized what he called the “limited lens” through which the creative sector is viewed, despite its broad impact on culture, identity, and livelihoods.
“It’s quite unfortunate that in the very society where the basis of mind and living is undeniably art, art is less revered,” Aryeequaye said. “The scope of all that art is, is wrongly restricted to just entertainment.”
The event, hosted in partnership with Cadling Fashions and the Korle Gonno Community Library, is part of a national strategy to support youth development in the creative economy, with fashion positioned as a key pillar. Aryeequaye described fashion as “the largest constituency” within the creative ecosystem and said targeted programs are essential to address misconceptions and equip young people with viable career paths.
Under the broader “reset agenda,” led by the John Dramani Mahama administration, the initiative connects aspiring creatives with industry leaders through mentorship, masterclasses, and technical workshops. Aryeequaye said the approach is designed to build confidence and capacity among young Ghanaians, positioning them as future contributors to a more formalized creative economy.
“This is a project designed to connect successful art practitioners and aspiring young artists… to guide them to successful careers in this sector,” he said.
The Fashion Dialogue Series featured three leading figures in Ghana’s fashion industry: Linda Ampah, CEO of Cadling Fashions, designer and Fashion Domain Head Beatrice “Bee” Arthur Beatrice and Makeba Nana Pokua Boateng, founder of Fashion Forum Africa. Their participation reflects growing industry collaboration aimed at bridging informal creative work with formal business opportunities.
Aryeequaye said the sector’s economic potential is substantial but underleveraged, citing fashion’s role in job creation and export potential. “Fashion in Ghana is more than just a style, it is a thriving industry that creates jobs and builds impressive futures,” he said.
The Agency’s efforts align with national strategies under Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and draws inspiration from President John Dramani Mahama’s agenda on cultural revitalization through the Black Star Experience initiative, a campaign to promote Ghanaian heritage globally.
The Agency aims to promote a message of inclusivity and transformation, aimed at dismantling stigma around creative careers and encouraging youth to see themselves as capable contributors to national development.
“Let this event be a springboard that makes the sky your starting point,” Aryeequaye said, adding that the Agency’s vision of Creativity without Borders is central to unlocking the country’s full creative and economic potential.
