Release: Nevada Arts Council Announces Harold Akyeampong as 2026 Nevada Heritage Artist Fellow
The Nevada Arts Council, a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs that bolsters the impact of the arts in the state, has announced Harold Akyeampong, Ghanaian-American master percussionist and cultural educator, as the 2026 Nevada Heritage Artist Fellow. Akyeampong, also known as Baba Gee, is a master percussionist, dancer, choreographer and ethnomusicologist whose work is rooted in the preservation and sharing of Ghanaian music, dance and ceremonial traditions.
The Nevada Heritage Fellowship honors Nevada’s cultural bearers who actively preserve and pass on their communities’ traditions and artistic practices. Selected individuals must have significantly contributed to bolstering the state’s folk and traditional arts heritage.
Akyeampong lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has worked extensively with The Smith Center, the Clark County School District and a variety of local community organizations. Through the International Centre for African Culture and Arts USA, where he serves as chief vision officer, he has developed programs including Africussion Percussion Discussion, Impact Afrikana, Ignite Drums and Nevada Senior Drums, which use the arts to foster cultural understanding, education and both physical and mental well-being.
“Harold’s career is a model example of what it means to preserve cultural knowledge and pass it on through teaching and community engagement,” said Tony Manfredi, executive director for Nevada Arts Council. “We know well how diverse the state’s population is and how sharing the traditions of all of our residents strengthens our cultural landscape while creating meaningful opportunities for learning, connection and healing.”
Akyeampong is a graduate of the University of Ghana’s School of Performing Arts and the State University of New York (SUNY Brockport). He relocated from New York City to Las Vegas in 2018. His career includes performances and teaching engagements at institutions such as the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Apollo Theater and Lincoln Center. His work has been featured by Radio Central Ghana, Voice of America and Taiwan National Public Radio.
Nevada Heritage Fellows must be residents of Nevada and are selected through a process of nominations and awardees are recommended by a panel of folk and traditional arts specialists. The top nominee is then approved by the Nevada Arts Council board. Upon approval, the recipient earns an honorarium of $5,000 to commence their year of fellowship. During this period, the recipient must continue to demonstrate excellence within their artistic tradition and show clear evidence of artistic impact and cultural continuity.
“It’s an exciting time to be an artist, and I am grateful to be able to do what I love, sharing Ghanaian culture with the world,” Akyeampong said. “I have been fortunate to have had incredible teachers and mentors throughout my journey, and I feel a deep sense of responsibility to pay it forward.”