Archbishop Porter Girls’ Senior Secondary School (APGS) emerged champions at the just-ended Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Visual Art Festival for Senior High Schools organised in Sekondi in the Western Region

The school grabbed 87.5 points, followed by  St. Mary’s Boys SHS with 86 points and Adiembra SHS, 80.5 points for  second and third positions respectively, based on organisation, craftmanship and overall impression.

Organised by Centre for National Culture (CNC)  of   Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly with support from   Department of Industrial Painting and Design at Takoradi Technical University and Media General’s Takoradi- based radio station, Connect 97.1FM, the event witnessed outstanding performances in portrait and still life drawing.

Master Ebenezer Cudjoe from Takoradi Secondary School emerged winner in portrait drawing with 90 points followed by Miss Erica Emefa Ametsor from  Archbishop Porter Girls, 87.3 points and Samuel Ghunney,of Bompeh SHS, getting 86.3 points.

In the still life drawing, Addison Richman of Fijai SHS emerged winner with 81 points,  followed by Venessa Whigham of Ahantaman Girls’ SHS, 79 points and Wendy Naa Korley of Archbishop Porter Girls’ SHS, who got 75.5 points. 

Addressing the gathering, the originator of the event, Director  of  the Metro Centre for National Culture, Mr Ebenezer Ackom, noted that, “the modest success of  planning among collaborators has  encouraged us to institutionalise the first Visual Art Festival as an annual event.” 

“The rationale of the festival is aimed at motivating young artist and highlighting the importance of studying visual art and its effect on the socio-economic development of the country.” he said.

Mr Ackom underscored the important roles art played in preserving the culture of a people, hence the introduction of the visual Art festival to appreciation the art form.

Expressing his gratitude to partners and sponsors, Mr Ackom hoped the event would grow bigger and better in subsequent years. 

On behalf of the Acting  Metro Chief Executive of Sekondi-Takoradi, (STMA), Mr Kobby Okyere Darko- Mensah,  the Presiding Member of the Assembly, Mr John Buckman, urged Ghanaians to adopt a non-partisan national art policy to serve as a road map for conscious rapid development of the visual art.

The policy, he stated, must provide a  clear direction in the training and development of artistic workforce with imagination, intellectual ability  and inventive skills to provide the needs of the country.  

From Clement Adzei Boye, Sekondi