Accra is set to welcome artists and culture players from across the continent this December, and the organisers say the countdown is now on.

The inaugural African Festival of Arts, Culture and Creatives (AFESTACC 2026) will be held in Accra from December 9 to 12. It is organised by the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) in partnership with Ghana's Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.

The four-day event is expected to gather artists, cultural practitioners, creative entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to celebrate African identity and explore partnerships and investment opportunities across the continent's creative economy.

'A dream of mine'

Speaking at the festival's launch in Accra, Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie called AFESTACC one of the proudest highlights of her two years in office.

"It has been a dream of mine to explore the power of culture and what it can offer our country and the African continent as a whole," she said.

She said the festival draws on the Pan-African ideals of leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah and Tanzania's Julius Nyerere, and builds on AfroGastro, which Ghana hosted in 2025, while widening the focus to more forms of African cultural expression.

From planning to delivery

Symerre Grey-Johnson, AUDA-NEPAD's Director for Human Capital and Institutional Development, said preparations have entered a critical phase.

"When our technical team first visited Ghana in August, we were approximately 17 weeks away from the Festival. Today, we are just six weeks away, and preparations are now kicking into full gear," he said, speaking on behalf of AUDA-NEPAD Chief Executive Nardos Bekele-Thomas.

He welcomed AFESTACC's place on Ghana's official December in GH calendar, saying it would raise the festival's profile. "For AUDA-NEPAD, AFESTACC is much more than a Festival," he added, describing it as a platform to showcase creative talent and unlock the economic potential of Africa's cultural industries.

AFESTACC will also run alongside Industrial Skills Week Africa (ISWA 2026), linking creative talent with skills development and enterprise, particularly for young people.

The organisers hope this first edition lays the foundation for a lasting continental platform. For December visitors, it adds a distinctly pan-African date to Accra's packed festive season.