The Unfolding Cultural Heritage project will officially commence on May 28, offering a vibrant platform to celebrate and explore the rich cultural diversity of the Greater Accra region and beyond.
This international collaboration is spearheaded by Ramdom (Italy), Bibliomuseum Center of Lecce, and Ghana-based Artlife Matters, with support from the Apulia Region. The project bridges the Salento region in Italy and Greater Accra, Ghana, through a series of art residencies, cultural exchanges, training sessions, and co-creation workshops. Its goal is to explore, document, and reinterpret intangible cultural heritage through contemporary artistic practices.
Locally, the initiative is backed by the National Folklore Board and the Centre for National Culture, Greater Accra, and is scheduled to run from May to October 2025 in Accra and Tutu in the Eastern Region.
At its core, Unfolding Cultural Heritage promotes dialogue among artists, cultural professionals, institutions, and communities. It positions contemporary art as a driver for intercultural understanding, community engagement, and sustainable development, aligning with both the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
The programme seeks to strengthen the cultural and creative sectors, support the reinterpretation of oral traditions, engage youth and families, and integrate digital storytelling as a tool for heritage preservation and knowledge sharing.
The initial phase features an online training and co-design programme, including four thematic workshops. These are open to creatives, freelancers, and institutions from Europe and Africa and cover topics such as museums in the 2030 Agenda, new artistic languages for intangible heritage, digital storytelling, and community-driven narratives.
Two artists from Italy and two from Ghana will participate in residencies and field research, producing a children’s illustrated book, a digital audiovisual archive, and a collaborative mural inspired by Ghana’s talking drum traditions.
The Ghana residency will bring the artist collective to the village of Tutu for six days of cultural immersion. Activities include school and community workshops, creative labs, folklore-based performances, and co-creation sessions aimed at building lasting partnerships.
An international open call is currently live, inviting cultural professionals and institutions to contribute to the project’s dynamic vision and programming.