Zadokeli 2025: A grand comeback of tradition and imaginative and prescient – Life Pulse Daily

Introduction

The Zadokeli Festival 2025 created a buzz across Ghana’s cultural landscape when it returned for its third edition at the University of Ghana’s ETS Drama Studio. Organized by Meraki Arts Africa, the week‑long event blended tradition with a forward‑looking vision, offering workshops, exhibitions, performances, and awards that highlighted the viability of careers in the creative sector. This article unpacks the festival’s significance, examines its impact on students and professionals, and provides practical guidance for those interested in pursuing artistic pathways. By weaving together verified facts, contextual background, and expert insight, the piece is crafted to rank highly in search results while delivering a clear, pedagogical narrative that can be featured in Google’s rich snippets.

Key Points

Event Overview and Schedule

The festival ran from Monday, December 8, to Sunday, December 14, 2025 at the ETS Drama Studio on the University of Ghana campus. Over seven days, attendees experienced a packed programme that included visual art exhibitions, drama and dance performances, film screenings, hands‑on workshops, and an awards ceremony honouring Ghanaian creative legends.

Organizational Vision

Meraki Arts Africa’s Chief Executive Officer, Elorm Anang, explained that the 2025 edition was deliberately scaled up to reflect the full spectrum of the creative arts. Whereas the 2022 and 2023 festivals focused primarily on static displays such as art and photography shows, the 2025 event added live performances and interactive sessions, signalling a strategic shift toward a more immersive, multidisciplinary experience.

Partnerships and Stakeholders

The festival was executed in partnership with the School of Performing Arts at the University of Ghana. This collaboration was a pre‑planned step aimed at integrating academic resources with community‑driven programming, thereby creating a bridge between scholarly study and professional practice.

Economic Implications for the Creative Sector

During a press briefing, Anang challenged the myth that creative careers are financially unrewarding. She cited examples of recent graduates and social‑media influencers who were paid thousands of Ghanaian cedis to cover the event, underscoring that the creative economy can provide sustainable income streams when properly leveraged.

Attendance and Participant Demographics

The 2025 edition attracted a diverse audience that included university students, senior‑high‑school graduates, emerging artists, and established professionals. Workshops were led by project‑building practitioners from various institutions, offering participants direct exposure to real‑world creative workflows and industry standards.

Background

Origins of the Zadokeli Festival

The Zadokeli Festival was conceived as a platform to celebrate Ghanaian artistic heritage while fostering contemporary innovation. Since its inception, the festival has evolved from a modest showcase of visual works into a comprehensive arts incubator that embraces drama, dance, film, music, and digital media.

Previous Editions

The first two editions (2022 and 2023) primarily featured static exhibitions of paintings, photography, and curated installations. Feedback from participants highlighted a strong appetite for experiential learning and performance‑based programming, prompting organizers to expand the scope in 2025.

Venue Selection: ETS Drama Studio

The ETS Drama Studio was chosen for its acoustic qualities, flexible staging capabilities, and central location within the university’s arts precinct. Its capacity to host both intimate workshops and larger public performances made it an ideal hub for the festival’s multidisciplinary agenda.

Stakeholder Expectations

University administrators, industry partners, and cultural policymakers anticipated that the festival would reinforce the University of Ghana’s role as a catalyst for creative development, while also providing a model for other institutions seeking to integrate arts‑based entrepreneurship into their curricula.

Analysis

Cultural Resonance and Tradition

By foregrounding Ghanaian artistic traditions—such as indigenous storytelling, dance forms, and visual motifs—the 2025 Zadokeli Festival reinforced a sense of cultural continuity. This alignment with heritage not only attracted older audiences but also resonated with younger participants eager to connect contemporary practice with ancestral roots.

Educational Impact

Workshops conducted by seasoned project‑builders offered students practical skills ranging from stage design to scriptwriting, while exhibition tours facilitated networking with industry mentors. Early reports indicated heightened interest among attendees in pursuing formal qualifications or apprenticeships in the creative sector.

Economic Viability of Creative Careers

The CEO’s emphasis on remuneration reflects a shifting narrative: creative roles are increasingly recognized as viable career paths. By showcasing real‑world examples of influencers and event‑coverage professionals earning substantial fees, the festival contributed to destigmatizing “starving artist” stereotypes and encouraging policy discussions around remuneration standards.

Media and Public Reception

Press coverage highlighted the festival’s growing momentum, noting the influx of school groups and the enthusiasm of participants who described the experience as “unwinding in a vibrant creative environment.” Social‑media analytics indicated a surge in hashtag usage (#Zadokeli2025, #CreativeArtsGhana), suggesting strong organic reach and audience engagement.

Challenges and Limitations

While the festival succeeded in many respects, logistical constraints such as venue capacity and budgetary limitations may affect future scaling. Additionally, ensuring equitable access for under‑represented communities remains a critical consideration for sustained impact.

Practical Advice

How to Participate in Future Editions

Students and emerging artists interested in joining subsequent festivals should:

• Monitor official communications from Meraki Arts Africa and the University of Ghana’s School of Performing Arts.
• Submit workshop proposals or exhibition concepts well before the call‑for‑applications deadline.
• Prepare a concise portfolio that highlights relevant projects, technical skills, and creative vision.

Building a Sustainable Creative Career

To translate festival exposure into long‑term opportunities, consider the following steps:

1. Identify niche competencies. Specializing in areas such as set design, digital storytelling, or community arts facilitation can differentiate you in a competitive market.
2. Leverage networking. Use connections forged at events like Zadokeli to secure collaborations, mentorships, or freelance contracts.
3. Develop a personal brand. Maintain active profiles on professional platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Instagram) that showcase your work, testimonials, and upcoming projects.
4. Explore funding avenues. Investigate grants from cultural ministries, private foundations, or corporate sponsorship programmes that support arts‑driven entrepreneurship.

Monetizing Creative Skills

Practical avenues for generating income include:

• Offering paid workshops or masterclasses to schools and community centers.
• Providing event‑coverage services for media outlets, influencers, and corporate clients.
• Licensing artistic works for merchandise, advertising, or digital content.
• Engaging in consultancy roles for cultural institutions seeking to design immersive experiences.

Legal Considerations for Creative Professionals

While the festival highlighted the financial viability of creative work, practitioners should be aware of:

• Intellectual property rights. Ensure that original designs, scripts, or musical compositions are properly registered or protected.
• Contractual obligations. Clearly define payment terms, usage rights, and cancellation clauses in agreements with clients or venues.
• Tax compliance. Register as a self‑employed individual or business entity to meet Ghana Revenue Authority requirements.

FAQ

Conclusion

The 2025 Zadokeli Festival exemplifies how a thoughtfully designed arts programme can simultaneously honour cultural heritage and chart a progressive path for creative education and economic empowerment. Its blend of tradition, innovative programming, and strategic partnerships not only enriched the student experience at the University of Ghana but also reinforced the message that artistic professions are increasingly viable and valuable within Ghana’s emerging creative economy. For educators, policymakers, and aspiring artists, the festival offers a compelling case study in leveraging multidisciplinary collaboration to foster talent, drive community engagement, and inspire sustainable career pathways in the arts.

Sources

• Meraki Arts Africa official press release, December 2025.
• University of Ghana, School of Performing Arts announcement, December 2025.
• Interview with Elorm Anang, CEO of Meraki Arts Africa, published on MyJoyOnline.com (URL: www.myjoyonline.com).
• Report on Ghanaian creative economy trends, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, 2024.
• Publicly accessible event schedule and participant testimonials, Zadokeli Festival 2025 programme booklet.