by Andrew Califf
Jamestown is a vibrant, bustling community in Ghana, and the art scene there is as energetic as the young men who play soccer in the colorfully decorated pitch.
The pitch is between relaxed Jamestown Cafe, a creative center for artists, and the imposing Ussher Fort, originally a Dutch stronghold, on High Street.
Large, Essel, Issah, Solomon and Daniel are a handful of the young men who frequent the pitch. There are regular teams when all the boys gather to play according to Issah Sackey. They do regularly play pick up, and it is very rare to find the pitch empty.
Even in the middle of a work day, there are a couple of younger boys kicking a ball around while some of the older boys sit around hoping more of their friends will show up.
The murals were done by a variety of different Ghanaian artists for the Chale Wote Street Art Festival, which has been an annual summer event since 2011. The festival brings art to the people, out onto the street, and brings Ghanaian artists, international artists, locals and visitors together to appreciate the masterpieces.
