BSIFF launches Global Art Call to reimagine the Ancient Ghana Empire
As part of its milestone 10th anniversary celebration, the Black Star International Film Festival (BSIFF), in collaboration with acclaimed creative studio Leti Arts, has announced a global initiative titled “Reimagining the Ghana Empire – A Visual Heritage Project.
”The initiative invites visual artists, illustrators, animators, digital creators, and even AI-assisted designers from around the world to visually interpret and reconstruct life during the Ghana Empire, which flourished between the 8th and 13th centuries in what is today parts of Mauritania, Mali, and Senegal.
“Too often, African civilizations like the Ghana Empire are left out of mainstream visual culture or misrepresented,” said Juliet Yaa Asantewa Asante, founder of BSIFF. “This project is an opportunity to center African history and imagination in ways that are rooted in truth, creativity, and innovation.”
A Cultural and Historical Challenge for Artists Worldwide
Participants are encouraged to explore diverse themes — from royal life, spirituality, and gold-driven economies, to community celebrations, architectural styles, and daily routines. All submissions must balance historical grounding with imaginative freedom.
The organisers emphasize that the project is not merely an art competition, but a significant effort to build a digital archive of African heritage that can inform future visual and AI technologies while preserving narratives that have historically lived in oral traditions.
Exhibition and Global Visibility
Selected works will be showcased at BSIFF 2025 and featured in a permanent open-access digital collection, ensuring ongoing visibility for artists and lasting impact for audiences across the globe.
Deadline for submission date is August 15, 2025 and artists are required to submit a high-resolution image of their artwork, accompanied by a short rationale (300 words max) that explains the historical context or interpretation behind their piece.
According to the organisers, artists will retain full ownership and moral rights over their work, while granting BSIFF and Leti Arts a 20-year non-exclusive license to display and promote the art as part of the project and its associated programming.
Selected artists will be credited across all digital and physical exhibitions, and may be featured in interviews, publications, or media coverage linked to the festival.
The project arrives at a time when the role of African culture in shaping global digital narratives has become increasingly urgent. Organizers say this is more than a celebration — it is a movement to preserve, reclaim, and amplify African stories for future generations.
“It’s time our history is not just remembered — it’s seen, shared, and owned by us,” said Eyram Tawia, CEO of Leti Arts
