Ghana ThinkTank

Founded in 2006, Ghana ThinkTank is an international collective that initiated from a desire to flip traditional international development paradigms by emphasising the creativity of people in low and middle income countries, and building relationships to implement solutions which benefit communities in high income countries. Their work spans the intersection of public art and international development, digital media, and participatory practices, collecting social problems from communities. The think tanks – which include bike mechanics in Ghana, a rural radio station in El Salvador and an artist collective in Iran, among others – propose solutions, which are then implemented with the continued consultation of both communities. Their largest project, the American Riad, is a long-term housing, art and community programme in Detroit seeking to counter social isolation. Inspired by a group of Moroccan architects who advocated the benefits of courtyard housing, it creates shared living space and creative opportunities, as opposed to the American single-family home in the particular context of post-industrial city planning.