Fashion designer Beatrice Arthur has cautiously welcomed government plans for new creative industry funds, warning that transparency and fair governance will determine whether the initiative succeeds.
Arthur, who leads the Fashion Domain of the Ghana Cultural Forum and identifies as a decolonial artivist, raised concerns about eligibility criteria and decision making processes following the Finance Minister’s 2026 budget announcement. The government intends to establish a Film Fund and a Creative Arts Fund while rehabilitating the National Theatre in Accra and beginning work on a second national theatre in Kumasi.
“I think the idea itself is positive. My hesitation comes from the practical questions around eligibility and disbursement. Who qualifies? Who benefits? Who decides?” Arthur said during a recent interview. She pointed out that artistic merit in Ghana has rarely guaranteed access to public support.
The fashion designer expressed frustration with historical patterns in arts funding. “Too often, funding becomes dependent on who you know rather than on the quality, impact, or integrity of the work. Committees can be influenced by personal relationships, biases, or alliances, meaning excellent practitioners may never even be shortlisted,” she explained.
Arthur’s scepticism reflects broader concerns within the creative sector about patronage networks that have historically undermined public arts initiatives. According to her, these practices have eroded confidence and left parts of the sector struggling to maintain even basic facilities.
She stressed that the fundamental issue lies not with creating new funding mechanisms but with how they operate in practice. “My concern is not with the creation of the fund itself, but with the governance, transparency, and fairness of its implementation. Until there is clarity on these elements, and until the process is insulated from political interference and personal interests, many of us in the sector will remain sceptical, and understandably so,” Arthur stated.
Beyond governance questions, Arthur raised another priority for the proposed Creative Arts Fund. She wants the government to recognize and invest in creatives who center their work on environmental sustainability, not just popular upcycling trends.
“As a Decolonial Artivist, I am also curious to know whether any priority will be given to creatives who genuinely promote sustainability,” she said. Arthur cited practitioners such as Linda Ampah and Kelvin Quaye, along with her own Waste Afterlife Art Movement (WAAM) collective, which focuses on environmental justice and cultural continuity through community based production models.
The 2026 budget proposals signal renewed government attention to film, fashion, music, and other cultural industries. However, practitioners across the sector have emphasized that launching new schemes represents only the first step. The real test, they argue, will be whether governance frameworks ensure merit based access rather than reinforcing existing patronage structures.
