For 25 years, Berj Art Gallery has been a dedicated cultural facilitator of West African and Ghanaian art, exhibiting, promoting, and nurturing creative talent in Accra. Now, we embark on a new chapter - the Berj Busua Artist Residency, a transformative creative hub situated in Busua.
This residency functions as a living, working, and exhibition space, integrating a gallery, artist studios, library, and community engagement center. With a strong emphasis on supporting women creatives and socio-political artists, Berj Busua will foster interdisciplinary practices - spanning visual arts, performance, and multimedia - to engage with local and global socio-political issues.
This initiative is inspired by the legacy of Hannah Esi Badu Dadson, grand-aunt to Berj’s founder. A pioneering activist in Ghana’s independence movement, she was instrumental in mobilizing efforts to free the Big Six from colonial custody. Berj Busua, launched under the Hannah Kudjoe Initiative through the Joyce Quarshie Foundation, continues this legacy, creating a space that nurtures creative resistance, collaboration, and empowerment.
The establishment of Berj Busua comes at a critical time when the socio-political and environmental landscape of Ghana is at a crossroads. The alarming impact of galamsey (illegal gold mining) in Butre - a neighboring community - has devastated ecosystems, disrupted livelihoods, and revealed the dangers of short-sighted, extractive investments. As Busua faces potential paths of development, there is an urgent need for sustainable and community-driven alternatives that resist destructive exploitation.
This residency seeks to reclaim and redirect investment into cultural production, ecological consciousness, and artistic collaboration - a cause that Hannah Kudjoe herself would have stood for. By nurturing a new generation of artists-activists, we aim to influence the trajectory of Busua’s development and cultivate a creative economy that is socially and environmentally responsible.
Berj Busua is a residency that fosters creative excellence while integrating sustainability and socio-political discourse. Our objectives are:
- Empowerment of Women Creatives and Socio-Political Artists: Prioritizing underrepresented voices and providing platforms for critical engagement.
- Cultivation of a Vibrant Creative Community: Connecting artists across disciplines and West African regions to foster interdisciplinary exchange.
- Promotion of West African Art on Global Platforms: Facilitating exhibitions locally and internationally to amplify the reach of resident artists.
- Cultural and Economic Development in Busua: Stimulating the local economy through artistic tourism, employment opportunities, and educational initiatives.
By embedding these goals into our residency model, we aim to create lasting impacts beyond the duration of individual residencies, ensuring that Berj Busua becomes a sustainable, evolving cultural force.
Berj Busua approaches art-making holistically - from conception to presentation to global circulation. We support our artists during their creation process in Busua, displaying their body of works in Accra and further distributing them on a global platform.
Further our residency embraces a broad and interdisciplinary approach to the arts, fostering a space where diverse artistic practices converge.
While our Gallery in Accra is focussed on visual arts, we actively aim to support transdisciplinary exploration in Busua, welcoming artists working in fashion, film, performance, dance, and artistic research. Our goal is to not only break geographical boundaries but also transcend artistic disciplines, creating a fluid, collaborative space where creative exchange and cross-pollination thrive. By encouraging artists from different fields to work alongside one another, we cultivate an open, experimental environment where new ideas emerge through dialogue, collaboration, and shared inspiration.
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Eco-Friendly Construction - Using locally sourced materials like rammed earth and upcycled furniture to reduce carbon emissions while educating local builders on sustainable practices.
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Renewable Energy - Implementing solar-powered lighting to minimize reliance on non-renewable energy.
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Waste Reduction - Establishing recycling and composting systems in partnership with the Busua traditional council while encouraging eco-conscious art practices.
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Water Conservation - Installing rainwater harvesting and filtration for sustainable use in gardening and cleaning.
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Community Collaboration - Partnering with local initiatives such as Odo Valley to engaging the community in eco-friendly practices.
By embedding itself within the social, cultural, and environmental fabric of Busua, the residency seeks to transform artistic practice into a force for sustainable change - inspiring not only the artists who pass through but also the communities they engage with.
Berj Busua is more than an artist residency - it is an evolving movement, a space for radical creativity, and a beacon for sustainable cultural development.
Your support will ensure Berj Art Gallery remains a landmark for contemporary West African art—a space where art and creativity can flourish.
Your donation of any size will help the Gallery continue its mission in inspiring and pushing the boundaries of artistic exploration.
If you'd like to make a donation please Send us an email
