A Curated Guide to the Top Art Galleries in Ghana

Ghana’s contemporary art scene is a vibrant, dynamic landscape experiencing a well-deserved surge in global attention. Far from a recent trend, this boom is built on decades of cultural richness, post-colonial artistic exploration, and a resilient creative community. With Accra at its heart, the nation has become a key destination for collectors, curators, and art lovers. This expert guide navigates the essential venues, from foundational institutions to contemporary powerhouses, offering a comprehensive look at the best art galleries to visit in Ghana.

The Epicenter: A Tour of Accra’s Art Scene

Accra is the commercial and creative heart of Ghana’s art world. The city’s institutions are active shapers of cultural discourse, creating a dynamic ecosystem that supports artists at every stage. Our tour explores the key players that define this exciting environment.

The Trailblazers: Institutions That Shaped the Scene

These visionary galleries laid the groundwork for Ghana’s contemporary art boom, establishing professional and ethical platforms when few existed.

Artists Alliance Gallery

Founded in 1993 by the legendary Ghanaian artist Professor Ablade Glover, the Artists Alliance Gallery is a monumental institution. Housed in an impressive three-story building on the Labadi beach road, it was created to nurture and promote local talent. The gallery functions as a unique “museum-gallery” hybrid, showcasing a vast collection of contemporary paintings, sculptures, and installations alongside significant historical artifacts like Asafo flags, antique Kente cloth, and the famous hand-painted fantasy coffins. It played a crucial role in professionalizing the local market by instituting a fair, fixed-price policy, ensuring artists receive fair compensation for their work.

• Location: La Road, Labadi, Accra (On the beachside before La Palm Royal Hotel).
• Focus: Contemporary and traditional Ghanaian art, sculpture, textiles, and cultural artifacts.
• Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9am-6pm; Sunday, 12pm-5pm.
• Contact: +233 302 762576 / info@artistsallianz.com

The Loom Gallery

Established in 1969 by the pioneering Frances Ademola, The Loom is one of Accra’s oldest and most respected private galleries. What began as a small craft shop grew into a vital force that has been instrumental in the careers of Ghana’s most important artists, including Ablade Glover and Serge Attukwei Clottey. Located in Adabraka, the gallery is celebrated for its expertly curated selection of paintings and sculptures. The presence and deep knowledge of its founder, Frances Ademola—often called the “doyenne of Accra’s art scene”—remain central to the gallery’s identity as a personal, relational, and foundational space.

• Location: Samlotte House, 119 Kwame Nkrumah Avenue, Adabraka, Accra.
• Focus: Paintings and sculptures by Ghana’s foremost artists.
• Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.
• Contact: +233 302 224746

The Contemporary Powerhouses: Driving the Global Conversation

Operating with market savvy and global ambition, these galleries represent the artists defining contemporary African art on the world stage.

Gallery 1957

Established on Ghana’s Independence Day in 2016 by collector Marwan Zakhem, Gallery 1957 is synonymous with the recent explosion of interest in Ghanaian art. Its strategic locations within the five-star Kempinski Hotel and its international gallery in London place blue-chip contemporary art directly in the path of a global audience. The gallery represents some of the most sought-after names in contemporary African art, including Amoako Boafo and Kwesi Botchway, and is a constant presence at major international art fairs, catapulting the local scene to global stardom.

• Location: Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast & Galleria Mall, Ridge, Accra.
• Focus: Leading contemporary artists from West Africa and the diaspora.
• Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11am-7pm.
• Contact: info@gallery1957.com

Nubuke Foundation

More than just a gallery, the Nubuke Foundation is a vital non-profit organization dedicated to building a holistic ecosystem for the arts. Located in East Legon, this multifaceted cultural center houses a gallery, library, artist residency, studio spaces, and a café. It pursues developmental goals by hosting exhibitions for young and established artists, poetry nights, and music concerts. With a second location in Wa, Nubuke is committed to decentralizing the art scene and cultivating Ghana’s creative future from the ground up.

• Location: 7 Lomé Close, East Legon, Accra & a second location in Wa.
• Focus: Nurturing young, mid-career, and established Ghanaian artists across disciplines.
• Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm.
• Contact: info@nubukefoundation.org

ADA \ Contemporary Art Gallery

Founded in 2020 by art advisor Adora Mba, ADA \ Contemporary has quickly become a “kingmaker” in the Ghanaian art scene. Located in the modern Villaggio Vista complex, the gallery’s mission is to discover and launch the careers of emerging artists from Africa and its diaspora. It acts as a high-stakes launchpad, providing fresh talent with their first major solo shows. This strategy has been remarkably successful, making ADA the go-to gallery for collectors and curators looking to discover the next big thing in contemporary African art.

• Location: Ground Floor, Alto Tower, Villaggio Vista, N Airport Road, Accra.
• Focus: Emerging painters and artists from Africa and the diaspora.
• Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-6pm; Sunday, 12pm-5pm.
• Contact: ada-accra.com

Beyond the Capital: Exploring Regional Art Hubs

While Accra is the epicenter, significant artistic activity thrives in other regions. Exploring these hubs is essential for a complete understanding of the national art landscape and offers a deeper look into the diverse **cultural spaces in Ghana**.

Tamale: Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA)

Founded by internationally acclaimed artist Ibrahim Mahama, the SCCA in Tamale is a groundbreaking, artist-run non-profit. By establishing a major institution in his home region instead of the capital, Mahama has created a powerful model of decentralization. The SCCA is a research hub, cultural repository, and exhibition space focused on long-term cultural production and education, not commercial sales. It is a vital project building sustainable infrastructure and fostering a new generation of artists and cultural custodians in Northern Ghana.

• Location: Tamale, Northern Region, Ghana.
• Focus: Contemporary art, research, community engagement, and artist residencies.
• Hours: Mon-Thurs, 11am-8pm; Sat-Sun, 11am-6pm (Closed Fridays).
• Contact: sccatamale@gmail.com

Kumasi: The Cultural Heart of the Ashanti Kingdom

The art scene in Kumasi is deeply intertwined with the royal history and master craftsmanship of the Ashanti Kingdom. Key sites include the Manhyia Palace Museum, which showcases the history and treasures of the Ashanti people, and the National Cultural Centre, a hub where visitors can observe artisans practicing traditional crafts like Kente weaving and woodcarving.

Cape Coast: Art and Historical Memory

The cultural institutions in Cape Coast confront the profound history of the transatlantic slave trade. The Cape Coast Castle Museum, housed within the historic slave castle, uses artifacts and exhibits to educate visitors on this difficult past. It is an essential site where art and history are inseparable, providing sobering context to the region’s cultural story.

Visitor’s Guide: Planning Your Art Tour

To help you plan your tour of Ghana’s art world, this table provides a quick-reference guide to the key institutions.

Conclusion: The Enduring Strength of Ghana’s Art Scene

A journey through the top art galleries in Ghana reveals a complex and resilient ecosystem. The synergy between commercial powerhouses, non-profit incubators, heritage keepers, and artist-led initiatives has created a multi-layered environment where diverse artistic practices can thrive. This intricate network is the source of the scene’s strength, ensuring that as Ghanaian artists continue to gain influence on the world stage, the local landscape that produces them remains grounded, innovative, and self-sustaining for years to come.