Mrs Maame Efua Houadjeto, Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has met leaders in the creative and cultural industries in Columbus, Ohio, to strengthen partnerships aimed at promoting Ghana’s tourism through arts.
The engagements formed part of efforts by the Authority to deepen international collaboration and attract investment into Ghana’s creative economy.
The CEO met with Mr 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 Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Columbus Arts Council (GCAC).
The discussions focused on exploring opportunities for collaboration between Ghanaian creative artists and their counterparts in the United States.
Ms. Houadjeto said the initiative was in line with the Authority’s strategy to use the creative sector as a driver of tourism and economic growth.
“The arts tell the story of our people, they are the soul of Ghana’s tourism identity. This collaboration is not only about cultural exchange, but also about creating sustainable pathways for investment, mentorship, and global visibility for Ghanaian artists.”
She said the engagement also aligned with the GTA’s “Experience Ghana” campaign, which seeks to promote Ghana as Africa’s leading destination for cultural tourism through music, film, theatre, fashion, and visual arts.
“This initiative forms part of GTA’s broader plan to position Ghana as Africa’s creative capital by
integrating arts, culture, and tourism into one growth agenda.”
Mrs Houadjeto said the upcoming Creative Arts and Investment Delegation in 2026 would include cultural leaders and philanthropists from the United States, who would visit Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast to engage with artists and explore investment prospects.
She said the collaboration would help promote Ghana’s creative exports, create employment, and project the country’s image as a destination for innovation, heritage, and hospitality.
Mr. Reese said the discussions were an exciting step toward an authentic cultural partnership that celebrates creativity and entrepreneurship between two dynamic cities.
Ms. Hoffmann expressed interest in developing theatre collaborations, saying Ghana’s storytelling traditions offered rich opportunities for exchange and artistic development.
The meetings also explored potential areas of collaboration, including hosting Ghana arts showcases in Columbus, establishing artist-in-residence programmes, organising investment tours for American art patrons, and developing joint arts education initiatives for young Ghanaian creative.
Stakeholders later agreed to organise a visit by creative investors and art patrons from the United States to Ghana in the first quarter of 2026 to explore partnership and investment opportunities with Ghanaian artists, galleries, and cultural enterprises.