The Lagos State Government has concluded plans to hold an art exhibition aimed at encouraging and supporting Artists living and working in the state and the country.
The exhibition is slated to hold on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 on Victoria Island.
Commissioner for Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, who announced this at a news briefing in Alausa Ikeja, today, explained that the event, which will hold in collaboration with the Office of the First Lady of Lagos, is aimed at showcasing the potential in Arts and the works of over 30 different Artists.
According to Akinbile-Yusuf, a renowned art icon, Mama Nike Davies-Okundaye and a host of others Arts enthusiasts and trainers are billed to attend the event.
“Office of the First Lady and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is using this event to draw attention of the public to the potentials in art and to also showcase the artworks of different artists that would be participating in this event to the world. Over 30 artists with diverse creativity orientation, old and young who are residents in Lagos and beyond will be showcasing their artworks during the exhibition.
“The Ministry considered it necessary to extend same attention we have devoted to the tourism and entertainment aspects of our mandate to the art practitioners as well. This, we belief, will further complement our tourism drive and project Lagos State positively to the world as a trailblazer in pacesetting ideas in arts, culture and entertainment in Nigeria. With this event, we are also showcasing great artworks from Nigerian artists in order to make them visible on the global scene. We believe, that with all these, art would assume its rightful position as a profession and not a mere practice” she stated.
Akinbile-Yusuf, seized the medium to urged members of the public to be part of the process of supporting artists through patronage.
“The Administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu identified the challenges of funding facing the creative sector as a whole and thus instituted an interest-free loan for practitioners in the creative sector including the sponsorship of capacity enhancement trainings for interested youths with internationally-recognized Creative Academies. All these, the government believes will assist in addressing the rate of unemployment in Nigeria and Lagos State in particular. With the theme for this upcoming art exhibition, we are underscoring the roles of artworks in the transformation of Lagos from a Mega City now to an evolving Smart City,” Akinbile-Yusuf said.
The up-coming art exhibition event will kick off with a paper presentation by Prof. Kunle Filani to be followed by a Panel Discussion. The event will have in attendance; Digital artists, water colourists, sculptors, painters, art installers, art photographers, found-object artists, mixed media artists, and several more.
The various activities at the event will climax with a workshop on art and craft, and mentorship session anchored by two seasoned artists.
