The National Theatre, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has launched the maiden Ghana Theatre Festival in Accra.

The festival, which would start from September 11 to October 4, 2014, would witness classical and contemporary live stage performances aimed at projecting the positive national values and the African personality.

Mrs Emmy Frempong, Acting Executive Director of the National Theatre, said the festival would help empower artists and arts organisations to position the arts as a key ingredient in the recipe of cultural pride, cohesiveness, economic activity and vibrancy.

She said the festival would feature quality artistic performances and there would be something for everyone regardless of preference including drama and dance performances, musical concerts, visual art exhibition and many more.

Mrs Frempong, therefore, called on members of the public to patronise the festival and be entertained by the various performances.

Madam Dzifa Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, said the realigned Ministry had a mandate to provide a firm and stable policy environment for effective mainstreaming of Ghanaian culture and to ensure the strong emergence of a vibrant creative economy.

She said the festival would, therefore, help to revive the interest of theatre as well as improve and advance the industry.

Madam Gomashie said the festival would create a platform for the amateurs who would be supported by the professionals to prepare them for the future.

She urged members of the public to visit the National Theatre in their numbers during the period and experience the best of arts performances.