The Manhyia Palace Museum has honoured five Ghanaian creative arts personalities and three foreign nationals for their outstanding contributions to the development of the creative arts sector at the local, national, and international levels. 

The award ceremony, held at the Manhyia Palace Jubilee Auditorium in Kumasi, formed part of the second edition of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Art Awards, organised by the museum in collaboration with UNESCO and other partners. 

The Ghanaian awardees were Mr. Ibrahim Mahama, Founder of Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art; Red Clay and Nkrumah Volini in Tamale; Mr. Yaw Owusu, an installation artist and painter based in New York; Mr. Larry Otoo, painter; Mr. Victor Butler, painter; and Ms. Afia Prempeh, a portrait artist. 

The foreign awardees were Mr. Leon Radegonde, the first contemporary artist from Seychelles; Ms. Julie Hudson, African Curator at the British Museum; and Mr. Osei Bonsu, a curator. 

They received plaques from the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and his wife, Lady Julia Osei Tutu. 

They also received branded, multi-connected rechargeable ICT diaries from Justice and Repair. 

The Director of the Manhyia Palace Museum, Mr. Ivor Agyeman-Duah, in a welcome address, said the occasion marked 85 years since the announcement of the death of a former Asante King. 

He commended the 2026 laureates for their immense contributions to the creative arts industry and acknowledged the role of Lady Julia Osei Tutu as Chief Patron of the Art Awards. 

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and Guest of Honour, Mrs. Dzifa Gomashie, said the creative economy was not merely about entertainment, but a critical pillar for national development, job creation, youth empowerment and global cultural influence. 

She said the vision aligned with the mission of the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Art Awards, which sought to promote Ghanaian and African artistic heritage while nurturing future generations of creatives. 

The Minister assured the Asantehene of the government’s commitment to supporting initiatives aimed at promoting tourism, culture, and the creative arts sector. 

She said the Ministry remained committed to safeguarding Ghana’s cultural heritage through stakeholder engagement, technical consultations, and collaboration with Parliament, civil society organisations, private sector practitioners and international partners. 

UNESCO Country Representative, Mr. Edmond Moukala, described art as not merely an object of admiration, but an expression of history that challenged assumptions and imagined the future. 

He said the award scheme was helping to create a strong cultural ecosystem that enhanced artists’ visibility, mentorship opportunities and long-term support systems. 

Mr. Moukala linked the initiative to Ghana’s leadership in the global reparations discourse, noting that the return of African cultural heritage restored dignity, reconnected communities to their history, and enabled future generations to appreciate ancestral creativity within their cultural environment. 

Dignitaries at the event included Professor Rita Akosua Dickson, Vice Chancellor of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; Ms Yvonne Darkwa Poku, President of Justice and Repair; and H.E. Tamas Feher, Hungarian Ambassador to Ghana. 

Also present were Mr. Mouduzi Nozinisa, the Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini National Trust Commission; Rune Skinnebach, the European Union Ambassador to Ghana; and Ms. Johanna O. Svanikier, former Ghana Ambassador to France and President of The Heritage and Cultural Society of Africa Foundation.