Young Nigerian Artists To Benefit From Arts Residency Programme

Some young Nigerian artists will benefit from an Art residency programme to improve their creativity and expose them to the global art world.

LVI Art Gallery and Cultural Nexus in Lagos Nigeria will run the programme for a period of 3 months.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Gallery, Mr Julius Iyoghiojie, said the residency programme would ensure the young artists get the needed experience to compete favourably both locally and internationally.

The art curator Mr Iyoghiojie said the residency programme with the theme; “TR Residency” would have six artists participate in the maiden edition and would hold from Sept. 1 to Nov. 20, 2022.

Mr Iyoghiojie explained that the residency programme will allow guest artists to work in a comfortable environment, where their every need will be catered for including health insurance to enable them to concentrate and participate fully.

“We are trying to engage in arts promotion in Nigeria and we are passionate about this. The artists on residency would be painting on canvas for three months and we will be having three males and three females.

“Our criteria for picking them include ensuring they are educated and are below age 30.”

LVI Art Gallery and Cultural Nexus would be providing technical support throughout the programme.

“The gallery will be promoting the artists while the artists are to supply the gallery with artworks,” Iyoghiojie said.

Creativity boost

The art curator noted that the artists will be given a one-year insurance plan, monthly allowance, and free medical care and would be exposed to mentorship programmes.

He said at the end of the residency programme, there would be a local exhibition where the works produced during the period of the residency would be exhibited to the public.

According to him, the artists would be able to fully evaluate and appreciate arts.

“We are investing in this because we believe that the growth of Nigerian artists is important,” he said.

Iyoghiojie, with over 27 years of experience as an art collector and curator urged parents to allow their wards to engage in arts early enough as this would go a long way in boosting their level of creativity especially now that Nigerians are more appreciative and lovers of Artwork.

Olusola Akintonde