Performing Arts
Paappoe Thompson Choral Festival
In 1987, the Greater Accra Centre for National Culture brought together choirs from various industries, churches and workplaces to perform in a choral competition to usher in celebrations of Ghana's Independence Anniversary. This sing-song competition marked the birth of the Paappoe Thompson Choral Competition, named after MR EMMANUEL PAAPPOETHOMPSON an illustrious son and accomplished composer of the Greater Accra Region. It has since been organized annually.
The Paappoe Thompson Choral Competition aims at fostering unity and harmony among workers in Greater Accra Region. Though most of the songs for the festival are from Paappoe Thompson's repertoire, choirs are given the option to pick one song of their choice from any other Ghanaian composer. Once in a while, the festival is hosted as a competition to raise the standard of performances by the groups and to create a spirit of healthy rivalry amongst the groups, thus adding to the general excitement of the occasion.
Sankofa Drama Competition
This is a senior high school drama competition with the aim to revive and enhance stage drama. Schools are made to perform African plays written by an African playwright.
Kpatashie
Centre for National Culture, Accra in collaboration with Accra Markets Association, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism Culture and Creative Arts organizes a cooking competition called "Kpatashie" (GA word for Kitchen).
Saturday Arts Skuul
On the long vacation period of the Ghanaian school calendar, every Saturday fortnightly, children come to the Centre for National Culture and are taken through arts forms such as drama, poetry, singing, choreography, traditional dance, etc. This is to sow seed of the arts into the young ones, so they grow with it.
"Baajo Hour"
"Baajo Hour" (Come and Dance) comes off at the car park of the Centre for National Culture, where there is a cultural performance by a Cultural Group. They perform various dances from different regions of Ghana. The aim is to promote cultural dances and to entertain visitors, foreigners and locals alike. It runs for an hour and a half and attracts a lot of people.
"Adesa Village"
This is a storytelling competition for Primary and Junior High School students. It is to revive and bring back the fading art of storytelling and to tap into rich elements of storytelling like folksongs, riddles, and proverbs. The schools will bring their own stories to be performed.
Visual Arts Programme & Activities
Art Exposition
A practical demonstration of art, especially of the production of various visual artworks. Participating audience would be taken through the conceptualization and furnishing of basic visual artworks that are usually patronized. Selected visual art areas demonstrated include:
- Drawing and painting
- Kente weaving
- Pottery and ceramics
Symposium for Artists
A meeting and workshop for artists whereby experts in the industry would have discussions on a particular subject relating to the field of practice of all forms of visual art. The objective is to equip visual artists with the basic skills in personal and professional profile development to meet the standards of other professions.
Annual Art Lecture
An annual lecture purposely instituted to create a platform for the intellectual discourse of issues and developments within contemporary arts, whilst setting an agenda for public discussion on the challenges that confront the industry. It brings together government, academia, artists, students, and key stakeholders of Visual Arts.
Mentorship Forum for Students
This programme seeks to create a platform for exchanging ideas toward the development of the arts and to ensure a symbiotic relationship between students and professional artists. It helps students attain a clearer understanding of their choice to study arts and the prospects in making it an equally prestigious profession.
Artists Profile
A Monthly Exhibition designed for practicing artists to exhibit their works at the Exhibition Hall of the Centre. The main objective is to promote individual artists and the Centre for National Culture (CNC – Accra) in the areas of art and craft. Opportunity is created for patrons and clients to explore the Concept, Style and Technique of individual artists.
Marketing and Sales Seminar
This seminar seeks to equip visual artists with the basic skills in marketing and strategies to improve upon their sales. Artists would understand the need to brand themselves and their concepts in a way that enhances effective advertisement. Issues relating to contracts, agreements and new media would also be addressed.
Ability in Disability (Charity Show)
A corporate social responsibility programme that seeks to engage disabled persons, socially disadvantaged persons, and orphanages through Visual Arts disciplines. This will also help to unearth the talents and skills of these individuals.