Accra's UNESCO City of Music Bid Gains Massive Celebrity Support
A campaign to have Accra designated as a UNESCO Creative City of Music has gained significant momentum with an outpouring of support from Ghana's biggest entertainment celebrities and cultural figures. The bid, coordinated by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, seeks to recognize Accra's rich musical heritage and its role as a hub for contemporary African music creation. A star-studded press conference at the National Theatre saw artists including Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, Amakye Dede, and Daddy Lumba publicly endorse the campaign.
The UNESCO Creative Cities Network recognizes cities that use creativity as a driver of sustainable urban development. A successful bid would place Accra alongside global music capitals like Nashville, Liverpool, and Kingston, Jamaica, bringing international recognition, tourism opportunities, and cultural investment to the city. The campaign highlights Accra's contribution to highlife, hiplife, azonto, and the broader Afrobeats movement, arguing that few cities in the world have produced as many globally influential music genres as Ghana's capital over the past century.
Campaign organizers have assembled a compelling dossier that documents Accra's music infrastructure, including its recording studios, live music venues, music education institutions, and the thousands of musicians who call the city home. The submission also emphasizes the economic impact of music on Accra's economy, from job creation in the creative sector to the growing music tourism industry that attracts visitors from around the world. Celebrity supporters have committed to using their platforms to promote the campaign internationally, with several artists planning to mention the bid during international appearances and interviews.
The bid has united the often-fragmented Ghanaian music industry around a common cause, with artists from different genres and generations coming together to support the initiative. Cultural commentators have described the campaign as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to secure permanent global recognition for Accra's musical legacy. If successful, the designation would provide a framework for sustained investment in music infrastructure, education, and promotion that could benefit the industry for decades. The UNESCO decision is expected in late 2026, and organizers are planning a series of public events and concerts to build awareness and support for the campaign.