Change Africa Podcast

Stefania Manfreda: Creating Spaces for Artistic Expression

As part of the TEDxAccra “Agents of Change” special, Change Africa Podcast invited Stefania Manfreda into an hour-long conversation on creating spaces for artistic expression. The dialogue traced her journey from Milan’s cultural streets to Accra’s creative frontier, exploring the motivations that shaped Elle Lokko, The Container Accra, and a wider commitment to fostering women-focused, collaborative spaces.

Stefania shared her earliest experiments with design, the evolution of Lokko House, Elle Lokko, and the growing role of Ghana’s art scene in attracting global attention through festivals, galleries, and cultural tourism. She also spoke candidly about refusing to constrain artists into moulds, instead advocating for spaces that champion curiosity, experimentation, and individuality.

The episode framed Elle Lokko not only as a boutique but as part of a broader ecosystem of cultural infrastructure — a bridge between worlds, a training ground for the next generation of Ghanaian creatives, and a signal of Ghana’s place on the global art and fashion map.