The African Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTACC) 2026 will take place in Accra from December 9 to 12, bringing together cultural practitioners, creatives, entrepreneurs, investors and other stakeholders to celebrate African culture and explore opportunities in the creative economy.
The four-day festival, organised by the African Union Development Agency–New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, will feature cultural showcases, exhibitions, fashion, gastronomy, investment opportunities and engagements with young people and entrepreneurs.
The festival was officially launched at the ministry in Accra, where the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described the initiative as an important step towards harnessing the power of culture for Ghana and the African continent.
She said the festival would give young people the opportunity to experience different aspects of African culture and urged corporate organisations to support the event through sponsorships to make the December celebration meaningful.
Activities will take place at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, the National Theatre and other venues to be announced by organisers.
Speaking at the launch, Symerre Grey-Johnson of AUDA-NEPAD, said the festival had been included in Ghana’s official December calendar, a move he said would strengthen its visibility during the country’s busy festive season.
He said the core programme, scheduled for December 9 to 11, would bring together representatives of African governments, cultural and creative practitioners, industrial leaders, entrepreneurs, investors, development partners, young people and members of the African diaspora.
The festival will conclude on December 12 with a wellness walk involving participants, partners and the public.
According to Mr Grey-Johnson, AFESTACC is intended to go beyond cultural celebration by creating opportunities for creative enterprise, tourism investment, innovation and employment.
He said the initiative aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, which promotes a strong African cultural identity, shared heritage and common values.
“For us at the AUDA-NEPAD, AFESTACC is more than a celebration. It is a pan-African platform that honours Africa’s cultural identity while unlocking opportunities in creative enterprises, tourism investment, innovation and employment. It also builds on the legacy of historic pan-African cultural gatherings,” Mr Grey-Johnson said.
The programme will run alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA) 2026, which will focus on skills development, industry and employment.
On the theme “Building Africa’s Industrial Future Through Demand-Driven Skills Development and Strategic Partnership”, ISWA will bring together policymakers, industrial leaders and training institutions to discuss technical and vocational education and training, digital and green skills, entrepreneurship and the link between training and labour-market needs.
Mr Grey-Johnson said the two initiatives complemented each other by connecting Africa’s creative potential with the skills, investment and business opportunities needed to grow its industries.
He invited African Union member states, regional economic communities, private-sector organisations, investors and creatives to participate in the Accra gathering.
