The fourth edition of the Anansekrom Toon Festival (ATF), which took place on October 28, 2026, was officially launched in Accra at the National Children and Mobile Library as part of World Animation Day activities by Carl Ampah, National Professional Officer for Culture at UNESCO Ghana, who unveiled the festival’s official logo. Organisers and cultural officials used the occasion to call for greater investment in animation as a way of preserving Ghanaian and African folklore.
The festival is organised by Verbal Transformers in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority. V.T. Albert Tetteh, Chief Executive Officer of Verbal Transformers and Festival Director, along with Victoria Duncan-Amissah, Head of the National Children and Mobile Library, hosted the event. “Alhassan Bitintiche Ziblim, Executive Director of the Ghana Library Authority, was among the guest speakers,” according to the organisers.
Nii Addokwei Moffat, a board member of the National Folklore Board, praised the organisers for introducing children to animation and storytelling early. He said such exposure could prepare young people for careers in filmmaking, theatre and other creative fields.
Samuel Quartey, President of the Animators Association of Ghana, described the festival as an important platform for developing young animation talent and said it was helping lay a foundation for the next generation of professionals. He called for sustained partnerships so the initiative can reach beyond Accra. His association has a history with the theme: it co-presented the 2019 AnimateGh festival, which was themed around animating Ghanaian folklore.
Felix Yao Adjavor, Executive Director of the National Folklore Board, spoke on behalf of the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, and the Board. He said the festival helps keep traditional stories, particularly the tales of Ananse, relevant to younger generations. He added that it helps present authentic African narratives to international audiences, and he reaffirmed the Board’s support for artists, writers, animators, producers and educators working to preserve folklore.
The main festival is scheduled for Saturday 26 December 2026 (Boxing Day) at the same venue, running from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. The full schedule, calls for submissions, and openings for volunteers, vendors and sponsors will be announced later. Organisers said audiences of all ages laughed and danced to the soundtracks of the screened films at the launch. They described the response as proof of the need for animation “created by Africans, from African perspectives, for Africans and beyond.”
ATF began in 2023 as Ghana’s first cartoon festival. It grew out of the tenth anniversary of Parables Animation Studios’ “Ananse Live On Stage” theatre shows. The 2024 edition ran on Boxing Day with workshops, panel discussions, puppetry, live folkloric music, poetry and storytelling, and animation screenings. It was powered by Parables Animation Studios in partnership with the Ghana Library Authority, with Indomie Ghana as main sponsor and support from the Embassy of Switzerland in Ghana. The 2026 edition is powered by Verbal Transformers.
The launch comes as Ghana’s animation sector draws growing attention. In March 2026, AnimaxFYB Studios returned from the TAIDO African Animation Awards in Tokyo with three awards. The Creative Arts Agency has called for policy support, curriculum reform and increased state investment in the sector.
Sponsors and partners can reach the festival on 0265068758 or anansekromtoonfestival@gmail.com.
Sources:
- Voila Afrique News, launch report
- Visit Ghana, ATF 2024
- December in Ghana, ATF 2024
- Ghana TRVL listing
- KNUST DeCoDe, AnimateGh 2019
- Graphic Online, AnimaxFYB and Japan
- Graphic Online, Creative Arts Agency
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