Ghana's beloved street art festival returns to James Town this August with over 200 artists, immersive installations, and a new digital art pavilion. Here's the full guide.
Chale Wote Street Art Festival is back — and if the artist announcements so far are any indication, the 2025 edition may be the most ambitious in the festival's 14-year history. Running August 16–18 in the historic James Town neighbourhood of Accra, the festival transforms the streets, walls, and shoreline into a living gallery that draws visitors from across Africa and beyond.
This year's theme, "Sankofa Now," takes its name from the Akan concept of reaching back to move forward — and the curation reflects it. More than 200 artists working across murals, performance, video art, and installation have been confirmed, with 60% of participants from Ghana and the rest drawn from Nigeria, Senegal, Kenya, South Africa, and the UK.
New for 2025 is the Digital Art Pavilion, housed in a converted fishing warehouse on the shore, featuring augmented reality works that visitors can experience through their phones and a full VR installation that recreates a 1960s James Town street scene sourced from archival photographs.
Festival food, courtesy of a partnership with the James Town Fisherman's Association, will feature freshly caught tilapia and crab prepared at open stations along the beach. No corporate food stalls. No fast food. Just local vendors and James Town flavours.
Entry is free. Donations are welcomed. The festival runs from 10am each day with events continuing into the night. More details at chalwotegallery.com.
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Ama Owusu
Ama specialises in lifestyle, fashion, and the creative economy. Her writing champions Ghanaian designers and entrepreneurs who are redefining African aesthetics.