The Street Art Festival, part of Ashantifest 2026, is gaining momentum as residents of the Ashanti region commend the visual art students from various Senior High Schools participating in the event.

Approximately 30 Senior High Schools in the region are showcased, demonstrating their artistic talents to both enhance the Asanteman’s aesthetics and celebrate its rich cultural heritage.

Currently ongoing at the Asokwa interchange, the festival features students from schools such as Anglican Senior High School, Ejisu Senior High School, Pentecost Senior High School, Afua Kobi Senior High School and others.

Visual Art students both male and female are actively displaying their artistic skills, and passersby and spectators appreciate the artworks, which embody cultural significance and aesthetic appeal.

The student artists are creating culturally meaningful images designed to educate and inspire, particularly the youth, to preserve and promote the Asante cultural heritage.

Notable portraits include Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, President John Dramani Mahama, and Asante warrior Ejisuhemaa Nana Yaa Asantewaa. 

The Golden Stool (Sikadwa) of Asanteman and Adinkra symbols and motifs like Gye Nyame, Sankofa, and Dwennimen are also depicted as well as a Kete and Adoa dancing and drumming squad painted.

The artistic works have received praise from various stakeholders, including businessmen, chiefs, and politicians, many of whom have generously donated cash and in-kind contributions to motivate the students.

Donors include businessman Adams Kwaku Ofori (GHS20,000), Kumawood actor Joseph Osei also known as Wayoosi, who donated bags of rice, car dealer Owoahene Motors, which contributed GHS200,000 and others.

They spoke to us during the donation while commending the students for the display of natural talents and skills, and the Asanteman culture.

Emmanuel Opoku Anane, known as Awukye, the Coordinator of the Ashanti Festival, emphasised in an interview with Kumasi FM's Elisha Adarkwah that the festival aims to showcase students' artistic talents and highlight the rich cultural heritage of Asanteman. 

He clarified that the event is a privately funded initiative, not government-sponsored, and expressed gratitude to the sponsors for the support emphasising Asante culture’s preservation.

Participating students expressed appreciation to the Ashanti regional Minister for providing a platform to showcase their talents, dispelling doubts that studying Visual Arts is a waste of time and affirming its value for their development and national growth.

For his part, Municipal Chief Executive of Asokwa, Amoh Kamel, also commended the regional Minister and students for enriching the interchange and municipality with culturally significant, skillfully rendered artworks, promising to protect the artistic scene to promote Asanteman culture.