The Tsadidi Street Art Festival will mark its fifth edition in Keta, Volta Region, from 6 to 8 November 2026. Founder and walking artist Glenn Samm announced the dates, confirming the event’s return to the coastal town that has hosted it since its inception.
Tsadidi, which means tourism in the Ewe language, was created by Samm to complement the annual Hogbetsotso Festival of the Anlo people. The three-day programme combines contemporary street art with traditional cultural expressions.
Activities typically include mural painting, graffiti installations, a grand art procession through the streets of Keta, live performances, fashion displays, storytelling sessions and community projects.
Samm, who performs under the persona Akabutu, has positioned the festival as both a creative gathering and a vehicle for social engagement. Previous editions have addressed themes such as illegal mining and drug abuse through art and public messaging.
The festival has also included initiatives like the Children’s Dorm Project at the Keta Municipal Government Hospital, blending artistic activity with community support.
The event transforms public spaces in Keta into temporary open-air galleries. Artists, residents and visitors participate in processions featuring elaborate costumes, traditional drumming and interactive performances. These elements create a dialogue between Anlo heritage and modern visual art.
The festival has grown steadily since its maiden edition in 2022, attracting participants from across Ghana and contributing to Keta’s emerging reputation as a cultural and tourism destination in the Volta Region.
Organisers are inviting sponsorship and partnership enquiries for the 2026 edition. Contact numbers listed are 0266848928 and 0209563335. Further information is available through the festival’s online channels and website.
The timing of Tsadidi continues to align with Hogbetsotso, allowing visitors who travel to the Volta Region for the traditional festival to experience an additional programme focused on visual arts and contemporary culture.
Past editions have featured educational sessions for local visual arts students, bonfire nights with storytelling, beach activities and food experiences that highlight regional cuisine.
Samm has described the long-term vision as turning the entire town of Keta into a living art gallery through sustained mural work, mentorship of young people and ongoing creative activity beyond the three festival days.
The event generates temporary employment for local youth in coordination, performance and vending roles while providing a platform for both established and emerging artists.
Keta’s historic sites, including Fort Prinzenstein, and its coastal setting form part of the festival’s backdrop. The combination of heritage architecture, street-level art and community participation has been noted by tourism stakeholders as a model for cultural tourism that engages residents directly rather than presenting culture solely for visitors.
As the fifth edition approaches, the festival builds on a foundation of consistent annual programming. Each year has expanded the range of activities while maintaining the core elements of procession, mural-making and cultural performance.
The 2025 edition, for instance, drew crowds with its colourful street parade and social messaging, reinforcing the event’s dual role as entertainment and public education.
About Glenn Samm
Glenn Samm’s background as a visual storyteller and performance artist underpins the festival’s distinctive character. His practice of walking art and public intervention informs the emphasis on processions and the use of the town itself as a canvas.
Collaborators in previous years have included local creatives and organisers who help coordinate the multi-day schedule.
With just weeks remaining until November, promotional materials are circulating and preparations are underway. The fifth anniversary edition is expected to draw both returning participants and new visitors interested in experiencing street art within the context of Anlo cultural traditions.
Tsadidi Street Art Festival continues to carve a niche in Ghana’s cultural calendar by rooting contemporary artistic practice firmly in a specific community and its annual traditional celebrations. The 2026 gathering in Keta offers another opportunity for artists, residents and visitors to engage with the town’s spaces through colour, performance and shared creativity.
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