A senior academic at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has urged government to treat Ghana’s visual arts industry as a strategic economic asset, arguing that targeted public investment could transform the sector into a significant contributor to non-traditional exports and foreign direct investment.
Dr George Buma Ampratwum, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Painting and Sculpture at KNUST, said the visual arts sector remains undercapitalised despite its strong commercial potential, and that a coordinated policy response is now necessary to unlock its full economic value.
Speaking in an interview in Kumasi, Dr Ampratwum said the industry’s value chain extends well beyond conventional disciplines such as painting, sculpture, graphic design and photography. He pointed to commercially viable sub-sectors including metal works, textiles, fashion, weaving and wood carving as areas capable of feeding into global supply chains in fashion, interior décor and cultural products.
“With the right policy support and investment, the industry could evolve into a major contributor to Ghana’s non-traditional exports while attracting foreign direct investment through creative trade partnerships,” he said.
Dr Ampratwum cited private sector activity as evidence of the industry’s existing commercial appeal, noting that investor Ibrahim Mahama has developed a prominent art exhibition hub in Tamale. He argued that scaling similar private initiatives through public incentives could catalyse broader growth, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises operating within the creative arts ecosystem.
On market development, he commended Ashanti Regional Minister Dr Frank Amoakohene for introducing the Street Arts Festival as part of AshantiFest 2026, describing it as a valuable bridge between talent development and market exposure for Senior High School visual arts students.
Among his specific policy proposals, Dr Ampratwum called for government to subsidise the cost of raw materials used in art production, launch a national art procurement programme to inject liquidity directly into the sector, and establish at least one modern exhibition centre in each region to support trade, exhibitions and international showcases.
He also urged the Centre for National Culture (CNC) to organise continuous professional training programmes to strengthen both the technical and entrepreneurial capacity of artists across the country.
Dr Ampratwum stressed that only a coordinated approach combining infrastructure development, skills training and financial support would enable the visual arts industry to deliver measurable economic returns and establish itself as a key pillar within Ghana’s broader creative economy strategy.
His call comes as the government has committed GH¢20 million to a Creative Arts Fund in the 2026 national budget, earmarked to support music, fashion, visual arts, culinary industries and their wider value chains.
