Art That Changes Reality
How TOP CHARITY is Redefining Philanthropy Through Culture
Can a work of art change the world beyond a museum or a private collection? TOP CHARITY has proved that it can. Founded by Omenaa Mensah and Rafał Brzoska, the initiative has evolved into one of Europe’s most distinctive platforms connecting art, business and philanthropy, demonstrating how culture can become a catalyst for lasting social impact.
The idea grew out of Omenaa Mensah’s personal story. Raised between Poland and Ghana, she transformed her African heritage into a lifelong commitment to education, intercultural dialogue and equal opportunities. Through Omenaa Foundation, she first focused on supporting children and educational initiatives in Ghana before expanding her vision into a model that brings together entrepreneurs, collectors, artists and cultural institutions capable of creating meaningful change.
In just five editions, TOP CHARITY has raised more than €55 million for philanthropic causes. The 2026 gala alone generated over €20 million in only 90 minutes, making it one of Europe’s most successful charity fundraising events.
Art lies at the heart of this success. The annual auction, organised by OmenaArt Foundation, has featured works by internationally renowned artists including Ibrahim Mahama, Amoako Boafo, Ewa Juszkiewicz, Magdalena Abakanowicz, Philip Colbert, Charlotte Colbert and Modupeola Fadugba, alongside emerging talents from Africa and Europe. The initiative has also welcomed Maltese artists such as Antoine Farrugia (2024) and Matthew Attard (2025), reflecting its increasingly international character.
What makes TOP CHARITY unique is its long-term impact. 30% of the auction proceeds support the Philanthropic Consortium, an international grant programme funding social projects, educational initiatives and cultural institutions. The Consortium has already supported 167 projects, benefiting around 800,000 people in Poland and abroad.
Among its partners are institutions including MICAS – Malta International Contemporary Art Space, the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów, Gallery 1957 in Accra, and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Rather than treating art as an isolated cultural activity, TOP CHARITY creates connections between museums, foundations, universities and communities across continents.
Africa remains central to this vision. Every edition brings together Polish, African and international artists within one shared contemporary dialogue, strengthening cultural exchange rather than presenting African art as a separate narrative.
This commitment will reach a new milestone in October 2026 with the opening of the Kids Haven Sport & Art Center in Ghana. Built beside the Kids Haven School, established by Omenaa Foundation for children rescued from modern slavery, the center will become the country’s first complex combining sports facilities with artist, music, and poetry residencies. It represents a unique model in which education, creativity and community development reinforce one another.
The ecosystem continues throughout the year through Phenomenaa Gallery in Warsaw, a permanent platform dedicated to contemporary African and international art, allowing relationships initiated during TOP CHARITY to develop far beyond the annual gala.
The initiative’s growing international significance has also been recognised globally. In 2026, TOP CHARITY received four Eventex Awards, including three Gold Awards, while Poland ranked second worldwide in the Eventex country rankings, ahead of the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The same year also saw the historic first official visit of the Asante King of Ghana to Poland, underlining the project’s expanding role in cultural diplomacy.
The next chapter begins in September 2026, when TOP CHARITY Venice Experience becomes the first edition of the event ever held outside Poland. Hosted during the Venice Film Festival, it marks another step in transforming a national philanthropic initiative into an international platform where art does far more than inspire, it creates opportunities, builds partnerships and changes lives.
