The founder of ‘Chale Wote Street Art Festival’, Mantse Aryeequaye has reflected on a time the festival struggled to capture the attention it deserved.

The festival is a vibrant celebration of creativity and culture in Greater Accra and has grown to become a global sensation.

‘Chale Wote Street Art Festival’ has evolved into a dynamic platform that embraces diversity, creativity, and cultural exchange.

It has become an alert of artistic expression that attracts participants and visitors from around the world.

Aryeequaye shared the festival’s journey from anonymity to international recognition.

He reminisced:

“We had to create our own outlet because when we started ‘Chale Wote’, we didn’t have money for advertising. I remember we walked into one of the media houses and got a rate card and I came to tell my people that if we should go through this channel, this thing will not happen. So, we used social media heavily”.
Mantse Aryeequaye

The early days of ‘Chale Wote’ were marked by a lack of widespread interest, but Aryeequaye encouraged listeners to be more inquisitive about events happening in their communities.

He said:

“When something is happening in your community and you do not understand it and the people are not far away; some who even have proximity to the event, you just ask questions. Let’s be more forward and imaginative in how we perceive things that we supposedly find unusual in our community”.
Mantse Aryeequaye

He pointed out that media coverage of the festival was more substantial on an international scale compared to local coverage.

Reflecting on the festival’s growth and global recognition, Aryeequaye clarified that the challenge wasn’t a lack of interest from their side but a disconnect with the local media.

He stated:

“When we started ‘Chale Wote’, nobody cared about it until 2015. We have more consistent press internationally than what we do locally. When you go online and you read articles that have been written on ‘Chalewote’, they have been done by non-Ghanaians”.
Mantse Aryeequaye

Why ‘Chale Wote Street Art Festival’ is relocating to Black Star Square

After twelve years of hosting the ‘Chale Wote Street Art Festival’ at James Town in Accra, the organizers announced a new venue for the 13th edition.

It was disclosed by the owners of the event that it will be held at Black Star Square, Accra.

The program will start from Monday, August 21, 2023, to Sunday, August 27, 2023.

According to the director of the festival, Mantse Aryeequaye, the event will start from Black Star Square [Independence Square] all the way into the Osu township and back into Black Star Square [Independence Square].

The Black Star Square [Independence Square] – will feature open-air mural exhibitions by leading Ghanaian and international artists, showcasing work inspired by the rebellion of enslaved Afro-Brazilians in 1835 Salvador Bahia and their glorious return to present-day Ghana, Togo, and Nigeria.

The story is also performed as a musical theatre piece called ‘Memory Movement Freedom’ by multiple community-based performances, dance troupes, and brass bands.

‘Chale Wote’ literally translates as ‘Friend, let’s go’ in Ga, the language of indigenes of Accra.

The 2023 edition of Chale Wote Street Art Festival is a celebration of over a decade of offering some of the most iconic public art interventions by African artists, as well as co-creations with collaborators from across the world.

Also, the festival’s organizer suggested that people have become interested in the craft and hence are researching it. He opined that some famous artists have emerged from the platform.

He noted:

“The festival is created around cultural animation not just in Ghana but in Africa. People are coming to see what we are doing here. People are researching what we are doing. The artists that we are working with are getting opportunities. Some of the biggest artists are coming from there so that’s an indication that whatever we are activating and animating is potent and effective; it’s creating other success stories”.
Mantse Aryeequaye