CHALE WOTE Street Art Festival – JAMESTOWN / Street Art Africa
The third annual CHALE WOTE Street Art Festival takes place in James Town on September 7 and 8. The festival is produced by ACCRA [dot] ALT and a host of collaborators across the city including The Foundation for Contemporary Art – Ghana, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Institut Français, Alliance Française, Dr. Monk, No Limits Charity, Absolut Vodka and The Attukwei Art Foundation. The second edition of the CHALE WOTE Street Art Festival held on April 14th, 2012 was a major success and the collective effort of many young people—ranging from artists, musicians and writers to designers, students and activists—who worked together to produce Accra’s only street art festival. The one-day festival included street painting , sidewalk painting, graffiti murals, live music performances, a fashion circus, extreme sport stunting, experimental theater, spoken word, art workshops and Installations. The festival drew over 4,000 people last year – loads more people are expected to attend this third edition. CHALE WOTE 2013 welcomes installation projects by internationally acclaimed participants – mixed media/visual artist Nolan Dennis [Johannesburg, SA], dance performance artist Weléla Mar Kindred [Paris, France], theater performance artist Florine Demosthene [Brooklyn, NY USA], visual and performance artist Olaniyi R. Akindiya Akirash [Austin, Texas USA] and art photographer Stephanie O’Connor [Johannesburg, SA]. Visual artists Ibrahim Mahama, Bernard Akoi-Jackson, Nana Ofori Atta Ayim, Zohra Opoku, Attukwei Clottey and I.U.B. have some of the most compelling exhibitions at the festival. Also look out for Elisabeth Sutherland’s remixed Ananse folktale.
The purpose of the festival is to promote the exhibition of alternative art in Ghana and to nurture an appreciation for different kinds of art among Ghanaians. CHALE WOTE means “Man, let’s go!” or is a reference to slippers worn on the feet. Each of us comes from different walks of life but we all have something valuable to contribute. This festival is completely “Do-It-Yourself” with the talented energies of many people needed to make it happen.
“We are encouraged by this collectivity and use CHALE WOTE as a way to mobilize an excitement for public, alternative art, especially among young Ghanaians. In the spirit of camaraderie, creativity and fun, CHALE WOTE is an accessible term used by Ghanaians regardless of language.
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