In its latest grant round, the Philanthropic Consortium has awarded the equivalent of over EUR 2.3 million to projects using education, culture and the arts to drive social change. A total of 82 initiatives received support – 68 projects in Poland and across Europe and 14 international projects, including a grant for Gallery 1957 in Accra to develop an educational programme linked to the Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize, the first award dedicated exclusively to Ghanaian women artists and their diaspora.The Philanthropic Consortium – established by Omenaa Mensah and Rafał Brzoska as part of TOP CHARITY, the largest charitable initiative in Europe – has just announced the award of grants with a total value of over EUR 2.3 million. This is another major investment in projects at the intersection of culture, education and social responsibility, delivered by organisations from Poland and around the world. To date, the Philanthropic Consortium has supported more than 147 local and international projects, allocating almost EUR 4.7 million to social, educational, health and cultural initiatives that have benefited hundreds of thousands of people across the globe. The growing scale and pace of the programme’s development reflect global trends in philanthropy, which is increasingly based on long-term, systemic social investment. The Consortium delivers projects in Poland, Kenya, Uganda, Ghana, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, the United States and Armenia, working with institutions such as the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, ShoulderUp, the Rafa Nadal Foundation and the Obama Foundation.
The global philanthropy sector is expanding dynamically, with foundations, non-profit organisations and private donors becoming one of the key drivers of social, educational and cultural change. In the United States alone – the most developed philanthropy market – total charitable giving in 2024 reached USD 592.5 billion, of which more than USD 109.8 billion came from foundation grants. Against this backdrop, the decision of the Philanthropy Consortium to allocate a further EUR 2.3 million to social and cultural projects fits into the global trend towards the professionalisation of giving and strengthens the position of the initiative as one of the most dynamic philanthropic programmes in Europe.The partnership with Gallery 1957 and the Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize is one of 14 international initiatives supported by the Philanthropic Consortium in this grant round, alongside projects such as Seed Academy Ghana, Kuenyehia Trust for Contemporary Art and Gorilla Doctors. Together with 68 European projects, these initiatives form a portfolio that reflects the Consortium’s mission: to professionalise philanthropy, promote cross-sector collaboration and support high-impact projects in education, culture and social inclusion – with women and young people at the centre of change.The Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize, launched by Gallery 1957 in 2021, is the first art award in history devoted solely to Ghanaian women artists, both those living in Ghana and across its diaspora. Named after Yaa Asantewaa, the legendary Ashanti queen mother and symbol of courage and resistance, the prize seeks to discover new talent, strengthen women’s voices in the art world and create long-term opportunities for their professional and artistic growth.
This year’s edition recognised Theresah Ankomah as the main laureate. The multidisciplinary artist is known for her work with natural materials and for exploring the links between traditional craft and contemporary challenges of sustainability and social justice. As part of the award, she receives a financial grant and a year-long artistic residency culminating in a solo exhibition during Accra Cultural Week 2026. Her works will also be presented to European audiences during TOP CHARITY Art Africa 2026 in the Orangery of the Wilanów Palace in Warsaw.The Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize programme breaks down systemic barriers and increases the visibility of women in the arts, offering them genuine opportunities for professional growth and international presence. It combines financial support with mentoring and promotion, building lasting networks of collaboration between artists, institutions and the art market. In the longer term, the initiative advances gender equality, representation and the professionalisation of women in culture, making Gallery 1957 one of the most important centres for the development of women artists in Africa.For the fifth edition of the Yaa Asantewaa Art Prize, Omenaa Mensah – philanthropist, art collector and founder of Omenaa Foundation and OmenaArt Foundation – joined the international jury in Accra. The panel included leading voices from the worlds of art and business, alongside representatives of Ghana’s vibrant creative scene.Omenaa Mensah is a Polish-Ghanaian philanthropist, entrepreneur and art advocate who builds lasting bridges between Europe and Africa. As the founder of Omenaa Foundation and OmenaArt Foundation, she develops educational and social projects in Ghana and Poland, including long-term support for children and young people. Through her work with contemporary African art and partnerships with institutions such as Gallery 1957, she helps amplify African creative voices on the international stage. She co-creates one of Europe’s most dynamic philanthropic platforms, linking business, culture and social responsibility. Her mission is to use education, art and philanthropy to promote equality, opportunity and mutual understanding between the two continents.
“Art is a language that connects people across borders. Cooperation with Gallery 1957 shows that we can not only inspire one another, but also create lasting models of shared social responsibility,” says Omenaa Mensah, co-founder of the Philanthropic Consortium.
Through OmenaArt Foundation, Mensah promotes dialogue between artists from Africa and Central and Eastern Europe, supports ethical collecting and co-organises the TOP CHARITY Auction – one of the largest philanthropic events in Europe, which has raised more than EUR 34.2 million for social and educational causes in Poland and Ghana over the past four years.
