The Culture Circle 2026 convened an influential gathering of creatives, industry leaders, policymakers, and cultural advocates at the Swiss Ambassador’s Residence in Accra. The event created a dynamic platform for dialogue on creative economies, cross-border exchange, and the growing role of women in shaping the future of global creative industries.
Centered on the theme Creative Economies & Cross-Border Exchange: Centering Women’s Leadership in Creative Ecosystems, the program focused on how cultural collaboration and creative industries can drive economic growth, deepen international partnerships, and elevate women as key decision-makers within the sector.
The evening was hosted at the residence of H.E. Simone Giger, Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, whose continued commitment to cultural diplomacy has strengthened creative and institutional ties between Switzerland and Ghana. Her support for initiatives that connect global and local creative ecosystems reflects a growing emphasis on collaboration through culture, dialogue, and shared innovation.
The event was curated and organized by Bloom Iris, an agency founded by Dede Gedza, whose work continues to bridge creative industries, storytelling, and cultural programming across borders. Through The Culture Circle, Bloom Iris has positioned itself as a platform for meaningful exchange between creatives, institutions, and international partners.
The Culture Circle featured a distinguished lineup of voices from media, tourism, diplomacy, and creative production, each offering unique perspectives on the opportunities and challenges within Africa’s growing creative economy.
The evening was curated and moderated by Miriam Uduak Mensah, Media Personality, Professional Media Strategist, and Founder of The Culture Circle. Through her opening remarks and moderation, she framed the conversation around cross-border economies, cultural exchange, and the importance of centering women within creative leadership and decision-making spaces.
Brenda Afia Tima Antwi-Donkor, Head of Production at Media General Group, TV Producer, Director, and Creative Director, spoke on Women in Creative Leadership: Representation, Power & Industry Experience, sharing insights from her journey in media production and the importance of increasing female representation in leadership roles across the creative sector.
Ivy Prosper, Founder of Prosper Creative, Media Personality, Producer, and Creative Entrepreneur, explored Digital Influence & Cultural Power, highlighting how storytelling, content creation, and digital platforms are shaping culture, influencing audiences, and creating new opportunities for African creatives on the global stage.
Naomi Borley Alabi Esq., Deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Lawyer, and Creative Industry Advocate, spoke on Creative Systems & Institutional Growth. She emphasized the need for stronger structures, policies, and institutional support to enable sustainable growth within the creative sector, while highlighting the role of tourism and cultural industries in national development.
The discussion was further enriched by contributions from representatives of the Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana, who shared perspectives on Cultural Diplomacy & Cross-Border Exchange, underscoring the importance of international partnerships in strengthening creative ecosystems and fostering meaningful cultural collaboration between nations.
A key artistic highlight of the evening was Ghanaian hyper-realistic pencil artist Mrs. Aewuradjoah Torto Allotey (also known as Aewura Adjoah), an award-nominated visual artist and content creator renowned for her highly detailed, hyper-realistic portrait drawings. During the event, she presented a hand-drawn portrait of H.E. Simone Giger, Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, a powerful artistic gesture that captured the essence of cultural appreciation, identity, and cross-cultural connection that defined the evening.
Alongside this artistic moment, Ghanaian musician Gyakie added a strong cultural and musical presence to the gathering, reflecting the continued global rise of Ghana’s music and creative industries.
Throughout the evening, discussions emphasized the importance of empowering women within creative industries, strengthening international collaboration, and building sustainable creative economies that connect Ghana, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and broader global markets.
The Culture Circle 2026 ultimately stood as a celebration of ideas, creativity, and partnership. It reinforced the growing role of cultural diplomacy in shaping economic opportunity and highlighted how creative industries continue to serve as a bridge between nations, communities, and generations.
As conversations around creative economies continue to evolve, The Culture Circle remains a vital space for exchange, collaboration, and forward-looking cultural leadership.