The 3rd edition of the Woori Festival takes place in Wa from 3-5 March, 2023. The celebration continues to showcase Wa as the weaving capital of the Upper West and weaving as wealth and worth of the Upper West Region.
In keeping with the idea of independence, the festival highlights the diverse innovation and creativity taking place within the weaving communities and schools, especially in Wa, Nadowli and Nandom.
The 3-day festival also draws attention to the admirable skills of students in the Schools of the Deaf and Blind in Wa, whose cloth and furniture will be on display. We welcome creative individuals who wish to make a lasting impact in these students’ lives to join us to build the community of friends of their schools.
Woori Festival will connect weavers and end users, such as designers, interior decorators, visitors and the general public. With workshops taking place throughout the year, visitors will see the resulting products created by participants, with support from experts and professionals. Through live and hands-on workshops, artist performances, music, lively fora, weaving demos, Woori Festival attendees are sure to be immersed in the sounds, sights, tastes and textures of Wa. Not to be missed, the culmination of all this will be rounded off with music, film and fashion in the sunset show.
The opening exhibition will feature works by textile and fibre artists practising in Ghana – Alice Raymond, Fatric Bewong, Frederick Bamfo, Isaac Gyamfi, Kate Wand, Nii Nortey Dowouna.
With the financial contribution of the European Union and the support of the OACPS Secretariat (Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States), partnering with the ACP-EU Culture Programme (West Africa) AWA, Centre Culturel Kore and Institut Francais, we will launch initiatives realised with this support – an interactive map of the weaving stations in Wa, Nadowli and Nandom. With their support, Nubuke Foundation hopes to stimulate economic transformation within the region.
We will launch the exciting programmes that will be coming up at the centre:
- A residency programme for creatives and researchers.
- Latest publications
- Upcoming training programmes for weavers
- New website dedicated to the centre
- And new website with a tool links weavers and buyers.
Other activities include:
- Live weaving demonstration and workshops
- Panel discussions
- Games and other participatory workshops
- Film and rariety show
- Local food and drink vendors
Nubuke Foundation
Nubuke Foundation is a private visual art and cultural institution based in Accra, Ghana. Founded in 2006, it serves as a nexus for arts and culture across the country while supporting the artistic practice of Ghanaians – young, mid-career and experienced. Programming includes exhibitions, art talks, seminars, workshops and spaces for drama, poetry, music and film collaborations. Nubuke Foundation is a member of the Arts Collaboratory Network.
Arts Collaboratory
Arts Collaboratory (AC) is a network of twenty-five diverse arts organisations in Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and Europe. AC is a trans-local ecosystem, focusing on art practices and processes of social change and working with communities within and beyond the arts.