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The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Maame Efua Houadjeto, has engaged with top creative industry leaders in Columbus, Ohio, to strengthen Ghana’s global tourism brand through the arts and deepen cross-cultural collaboration.
The meetings, held during the first week of November 2025, brought together leading figures from the arts and creative sectors, including Michael Reese, Founder and President of Columbus Artway Inc.; Leda Hoffmann, Artistic Director of The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio; Jason Gay, Vice President of Operations at the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts (CAPA); Amy Drake, Playwright and Producer; and Tom Katzenmeyer, President and CEO of the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC).
Discussions focused on forging creative and investment partnerships that connect Ghana’s dynamic arts scene with international patrons, institutions, and investors. A key outcome of the engagements was a joint plan to bring creative investors and arts patrons to Ghana in early 2026 to explore collaboration opportunities with local artists, galleries, and cultural enterprises.
Ms. Houadjeto said the partnership highlights the growing role of the creative economy in Ghana’s tourism and development agenda. “The arts tell the story of our people — they are the soul of Ghana’s tourism identity,” she noted. “This collaboration is not only about cultural exchange but about creating sustainable pathways for investment, mentorship, and global visibility for Ghanaian artists.”
The initiative aligns with the Ghana Tourism Authority’s “Experience Ghana” campaign, which seeks to position Ghana as Africa’s leading cultural and tourism destination through film, music, fashion, theatre and visual arts.
The Columbus meetings also explored opportunities to host Ghana Arts Showcases in Ohio, establish artist-in-residence exchanges, facilitate investment tours for American art patrons, and create joint arts education programmes to nurture young Ghanaian talent.
Michael Reese of Columbus Artway Inc. described the collaboration as “an exciting step toward an authentic cultural partnership that celebrates creativity and entrepreneurship between two dynamic cities.” Leda Hoffmann of The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio added that Ghana’s storytelling traditions “are deeply inspiring,” noting that her institution is eager to build creative bridges through theatre and performance.
The partnership forms part of the Authority’s broader strategy to align tourism promotion with the creative arts sector — recognising artists, filmmakers and performers as cultural ambassadors for Ghana.
A Creative Arts and Investment Delegation from the United States is expected to visit Ghana in early 2026. The group will tour Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast to experience Ghana’s artistic diversity, interact with local creatives, and explore investment opportunities in galleries, film studios and art festivals.
The engagements in Columbus mark a new chapter in Ghana’s cultural diplomacy — one that positions tourism as a powerful tool for creative collaboration, economic growth and global cultural exchange.
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