Gospel Artistes Charged Double At O2 Arena For Not Selling Alcohol – Diana Hamilton

Ghanaian gospel musician Diana Antwi Hamilton has revealed that organizing events at London’s O2 Arena comes with strict limitations and significantly higher costs for gospel artistes.

When asked about the possibility of hosting an edition of her annual Awake Experience concert at the iconic venue, the award-winning singer explained that her management team is carefully evaluating several factors before reaching a decision.

Speaking on Hitz FM’s Daybreak Hitz with Kwame Dadzie and Doreen Avio, Diana noted that the O2 Arena operates under conditions that must be thoroughly considered during event planning.

According to her, one major challenge is content ownership, which is crucial for gospel events.

“When we host these programs, we usually generate content from them. But with O2, how many events from there do you actually see content from? The rules of the venue don’t allow you to own the footage,” she explained.

Diana Hamilton further claimed that gospel artistes are charged far more than secular musicians when booking the venue.

She attributed the additional cost to the lack of alcohol sales at gospel events.

“What they charge secular artistes, gospel artistes are charged more than double, and the reason is simply because we don’t sell alcohol,” she stated.

The O2 Arena remains one of the most sought-after venues for Ghanaian event promoters in the diaspora, though the cost and restrictions have proven challenging for many.

Meanwhile, Diana Hamilton is gearing up for the 2026 Awake Experience, slated for 15th February 2026 at ICGC Christ Temple, East Teshie, with the Kumasi edition scheduled for 22nd February 2026 at the Church of Pentecost, Bantama.