In a memorable and transformative experience, Visual Arts students from Bagabaga College of Education, spanning Levels 200 to 400, embarked on a field trip that took them deep into the heart of cultural and artistic expression in Northern Ghana on Wednesday, 23rd July, 2025. Accompanied by their Lecturer, Mr. Macharious Nabang, the students visited two remarkable spaces: the Tamale Branch of the Centre for National Culture (CNC) and the Savannah Centre for Culture and Arts (SCCA), popularly known as Red Clay Studios, located in Tamale.
This educational excursion was not just a physical journey but a symbolic passage from theory to experience, from textbooks to texture, and from imagination to inspiration. As artists-in-training, it was imperative for them to step beyond the structured environment of the classroom and immerse themselves in environments where Ghana’s artistic heritage is not only preserved but actively lived and reimagined.
Both the CNC and SCCA serve as living museums and galleries where stories are not merely told through words but unfold through a rich tapestry of colours, textures, symbols, performances, installations, and architectural expressions. These centers pulse with the rhythm of local and contemporary creativity, offering students the rare opportunity to witness how art interacts with history, society, and identity.
The field trip offered an invaluable opportunity for students to:
- Observe keenly: to see with the eyes of an artist, where every sculpture, pattern, mural, and artefact communicates meaning beyond its form.
- Engage thoughtfully: to ask critical questions and hold conversations that deepen understanding and appreciation.
- Reflect and respond creatively: by taking mental notes, sketching, and documenting their experiences. As their Lecturer reminded them, art is not only what we produce; it is equally what we see, feel, and allow to transform us.
Before departure, Mr. Macharious Nabang addressed the group, reminding them to uphold a posture of respect for the arts, for the artists and custodians of culture and for the communities whose stories are embodied in the spaces they were to visit. He emphasized the importance of representing the College with dignity, discipline and an unquenchable curiosity.
Adding to the significance of the trip was the presence of two key personalities: the Vice Principal of Bagabaga College of Education, Dr. Mumuni Zakaria Fusheini, himself an accomplished art educator, and the Director of Estate of the College, Mr. Adams Abudi. Their presence underscored the College’s commitment to practical, experiential learning and the vital role of the arts in education.
The excursion was not only successful but deeply enriching. It ignited imaginations, deepened appreciation for Ghana’s cultural wealth, and affirmed the central role of the visual arts in shaping identity and vision. Indeed, the journey from Bagabaga to the creative enclaves of Red Clay and the CNC is one the students will carry in their hearts and memories for years to come.
