Bambu Heritage Productions and Africa Arts Network (AAN) have signed a Master Cooperation Agreement to collaborate on theatre productions, cultural advocacy and infrastructure development, with plans to stage Nkrumah Showboy in 2027.
The agreement commits the two Ghanaian creative organisations to a long-term working relationship aimed at contributing to the growth of the country’s theatre and cultural industries.
The signing brought together the leadership of both organisations: Chief Abdul Moomen Muslim, Chief Creative Officer of Bambu Heritage Productions, and Kofi Adinkra, Founder and Executive Director of Africa Arts Network, alongside members of their teams. The occasion was as much a conversation about direction as a ceremony, with both leaders speaking about why collaboration, rather than competition, is the way forward for the creative arts.
A shared conviction
Both leaders spoke of an industry whose talent is abundant but whose structures, platforms and resources remain stretched. Their message was consistent: no single company can build the ecosystem Ghana’s storytellers deserve, but organisations that pool expertise, networks and ambition can move faster and reach further.
Chief Abdul Moomen Muslim, Chief Creative Officer of Bambu Heritage Productions, said: “Our industry is full of talent and stories the world needs to see. What it needs is organisations willing to build together. This partnership with Africa Arts Network is our commitment to doing exactly that.”
Kofi Adinkra, Founder and Executive Director of Africa Arts Network, said: “No single organisation can build the creative economy Africa deserves alone. Partnering with Bambu Heritage lets us combine our networks, our craft and our ambition in service of Ghana’s artists and audiences.”
Bambu Heritage Productions brings a record of original, heritage-rooted theatre and a creative vision built around African stories told with scale and craft. Africa Arts Network, on the other hand, brings a pan-African footprint across live and digital storytelling, drawing on its experience in stage and film.
What the partnership will focus on
The agreement sets out a framework across four areas of cooperation.
Producing work that matters. The two organisations will explore joint productions, drawing on their complementary strengths. An early ambition is to bring Nkrumah Showboy, Bambu’s musical theatre production celebrating the life and legacy of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, to the stage in 2027, in the spirit of celebrations marking Ghana’s 70th anniversary of independence.
Building a continental stage. Bambu will be a key partner of the Pan-African Theatre Festival, to be led by AAN in March 2027. Bambu’s involvement will include a major festival performance, among other activities. Together, the partners aim to position the festival as a significant platform for Pan-African theatrical expression, cultural exchange and the growth of the African theatre industry.
Speaking with one voice. The partners will collaborate on advocacy for a more supportive policy and fiscal environment for the creative sector, including incentives that make theatre and live performance more sustainable for producers, artists and investors alike.
Investing in places to perform. The organisations will also explore opportunities to develop and programme cultural infrastructure, including theatres, performance venues and cultural centres. Ghana’s artists need more spaces to create, rehearse and present their work, and the partners see this as central to the industry’s long-term growth.
Why it matters
The partnership comes at a time of growing momentum for Ghana’s creative economy and renewed national attention on the country’s history and identity. By aligning a heritage-focused production house with a pan-African network that spans stage, screen and digital distribution, the two organisations hope to offer a model for how creative enterprises can work together while retaining their independence and distinct identities.
The collaboration is also an invitation. Artists, technicians, institutions, sponsors, investors and audiences all have a part to play in building a thriving theatre culture, and the partners expect to engage the wider industry as projects take shape.
Looking ahead
Details of individual productions, the Pan-African Theatre Festival programme and partnership opportunities will be announced in the coming months through the organisations’ official channels.
