Chale Wote: Five Years of Street Art Magic
Back in 2011, Dr. Monk's Ama joined a group of creative minds in Accra - representing ACCRA[dot]ALT, FCA, IUB and others - to imagine the Chale Wote Street Art Festival. The need was to give a stage to creativity and reclaim public space - for the public.
Now, five years later, large crowds once again thronged the streets of Jamestown, Accra, for the sixth edition of the festival. Bigger than ever, this year's edition was themed Spirit Robot and brought artists from all over the world to the seaside neighborhood, for a display of visual and performance art. How proud we are of our partners for creating a magnetic hit!
Chale Wote brings together artists, partygoers, bikers, old and young, local and international, in ways unique to Accra. From the very beginning, Jamestown was chosen as the site for the festival because of its rich history, coupled with a present of urban poverty. Today, Chale Wote’s success has made Jamestown the place to be seen every August for more than 10.000 visitors. The festival has become a celebration of performance in all its glory.
As the event grows and evolves, we learn about the tension between visitor numbers and depth of art, the potential for embedding art in a public space which is also a home, and the apparent need for a free space where people can meet, consume and express their talent. Our minds wander to how we can bolster the power of this mesmerizing event to positively impact its surroundings - in the long term. But for now, enjoy the many flavors of Chale Wote:
