President John Dramani Mahama has assured Ghanaians that the Black Star Experience, a cultural and tourism initiative, is set to take off soon, with foundational work already completed.
Addressing journalists at his first presidential media encounter on September 10, 2025, President Mahama said the initiative will be supported through the next national budget as part of a broader strategy to boost Ghana’s creative arts industry.
The Black Star Experience is the government’s flagship initiative for culture, arts, and tourism, intended to establish Ghana as a preferred destination. It is planned as a continuous programme highlighting key activities in entertainment, the arts, and education throughout the year.
“The Black Star Experience will take off. They’ve been working on all the foundational issues, and you will soon see it in the next budget,” he stated. “We’re going to make allocations for the creative arts, to support Kumawood, filmmakers, the music industry, and the arts.”
He explained that the Black Star Experience, alongside broader creative sector investments, is intended to enhance Ghana’s cultural appeal while creating sustainable jobs.
“We are painting outside, good representation of our culture and who we are as a people,” he said. “This is why we created this submission, to get tourism and the creative sector working on different national issues.”
Stakeholders in the creative industry have long called for stronger government backing.
President Mahama’s comments suggest that the upcoming budget will be a defining moment for Ghana’s cultural economy.
