The event is being held in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the National Commission on Culture, the National Theatre of Ghana and a number of partners.

The Forum themed: “60th Anniversary of Ghana’s Independence: Cultural Re-orientation for the Emergence of the New Ghanaian,” will come alive as stakeholders within the Ghanaian culture fraternity and the general public gather to observe the annual Ghana Culture Day.

In a release issued to the Ghana News Agency on Monday in Accra, it said the day would be marked with an Interactive Forum on “Optimising the Potential of the Creative Economy for National Development,” and an Emporium (exhibitions and performances).

It said the interaction at the Forum and different artistic programmes would aim at promoting and appreciating the necessity of mainstreaming culture in national development.  It will also provide opportunity for sharing ideas on policies and actions in the sector and draw the important linkages and relationships between culture and other sectors of national development. The release said the emporium is a Courtyard of Cultural Interaction and Expressions, which would feature a culinary exhibition, visual arts exhibition, Fashion exposition and dialogue, film screening and presentations and an exhibition of musical CDs, Ghanaian music and movie videos.

     “Other features of the emporium include an exhibition on Ghanaian cultural heritage, exhibition on the use of indigenous science and technology - local architecture, and indigenous health products.”

     It added that members of the Performing Arts domains would also thrill patrons at the Ghana Culture Day celebrations with musical performances, drama, spoken word, readings and storytelling.

     Participating institutions and groups include the National Commission on Culture, National Theatre of Ghana, National Drama Company, National Dance Company, National Symphony Orchestra, Actors Guild of Ghana, Musicians Union of Ghana, Veterans Musicians Association of Ghana, Concert Party Union, Ehalakasa, Ghana Association of Phonographic Industries (GAPI), and Ghana Association of Visual Artists.

     Other participating institutions include Aid to Artisans Ghana, Foundation for Contemporary Art, Ghana Academy of Film and Television Arts, Film Producers Association of Ghana, National Film and Television Institute, and Film Directors Guild of Ghana.

     Also are Ghana Association of Audio and Audio-Visual Distributors, Audio Visual Rights Society of Ghana, Ghana Association of Writers, Ghana Book Publishers Association, Bureau of Ghana Languages, Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, and Ghana Heritage Conservation Trust.

     The Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Institute of African Studies, School of Performing Arts (University of Ghana, Legon), Models Union of Ghana, Fashion Forum Ghana, Ghana Fashion Designers Association, Ghana Dance Association, Women in Performing Arts, Actresses Association of Ghana, Noyam Institute for the Arts, Cook Art Ghana, Centre for Plant Medicine Research, Mampong, Vegetarian Association of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Architects, would also be participating.

The Ghana Culture Forum is a membership-based civil society consultative and advocacy network of cultural practitioners, activists and organisations.

    It is united around a common vision of affirming the cultural foundations of development and enhancing the profile, value and impact of the cultural sector.

     Established in 2012, the key aspect of its work is advocacy on the development of the creative industries in Ghana, and this year’s celebration of Ghana Culture Day is the fifth edition of the Culture Day.