The Art Centre, now called Centre for National Culture started shortly after independence as the Ghana Arts Council, after the British relinquished the then Roger club a social club for Accra’s elite that was located on Accra’s Atlantic coast.
Ghana’s former Prime Minister Dr. Kwame Nkrumah asked Nana Kobina Nketsiah to have Mr. Beattie Casely-Hayford start up the Arts Council of Ghana.
Casely-Hayford became the first director of the Ghana Arts Council. He was responsible for bringing to the fore the early concert party groups and plays. He also had the British Council sponsor drama performances and movies of Shakespeare plays. He also collaborated with the artist and musician Saka Acquaye, who succeeded him as the director of the Ghana Arts Council.
Saka Acquaye’s plays were also featured at the Accra Arts Centre, including his most important and popular musical, The Lost Fishermen. The original Wulomei – a traditional folk music group that Saka Acquaye managed – was introduced to a national audience at the Accra Arts Centre.
The master drummer, percussionist and musician Guy Warren (Kofi Ghanaba)was prominently featured on several weekends. The classical musician Victor Gbeho also had the National Orchestra rehearsing and performing at the Accra Arts Centre.
Many foreign cultural exchange shows were also put on at the Accra Arts Centre. For instance, troupes from Russia and from China performed, the Chinese troupe singing a song in Ga and Twi.
Casely-Hayford was instrumental in the arrangements during the 1956 visit of Louis Armstrong his wife Lucille, and band to Ghana.
The US Information Service (“USIS”) often sent performers to Ghana as part of a cultural relations program. The jazz guitarist Charlie Byrd performed in one of such shows and ended the show with one of Jimi Hendrix’s songs, “Hey Joe”. Cozy Cole was another such performer.
In the early 1960s, Casely-Hayford introduced the Do Show, a talent show that was open to all through auditions. One of the products of the Do Show is the Paris-based singer Bibie Brew.
The Ghanaian teens of the 1960s also had their chance and several pop music competitions were held at the Arts Centre.
Casely-Hayford’s five sons all played guitar in their teens. His oldest son, Ralph, a bassist, and a nephew, Roy, played in one of Ghana’s professional pop bands, “The Saints”, and they performed at the Accra Arts Centre.
In December 1989, Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) law 239 was proclaimed to establish the National Commission on Culture which replaced the two enactments that instituted the Arts Council of Ghana:
a) Arts council of Ghana decree (NLCD 232) and
b) Arts council of Ghana (amendments) decree. 1968 (NLCD 279).
The dissolution of the Arts Council of Ghana brought in its place the Regional Centres for National Culture including that of the Greater Accra Region which used to be the Headquarters.
