25 young creatives win big at MTN arts festival final

The 15th edition of the Life in My City Arts Festival (LIMCAF), in partnership with the MTN Foundation, officially ended on Saturday, 29 October 2022, with a gala and award night at the International Conference Centre, Enugu.

Following the successful regional exhibitions across eight states in the country, where the top 100 artworks were selected, the artworks of 25 artists made it to the winning spot. Fourteen artists received consolation prizes, five artists received cash gifts from individual sponsors, the five best artists in different categories including textile design, photography, graphics design, ceramics and painting, all received N250,000 each, and the overall winner received a cash prize of N500,000.

Representing the Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the award ceremony, Commissioner for Lands, Enugu state, Hon. Chidi Aroh, commended the efforts of the LIMCAF organisation. He stated “I must appreciate the efforts of the board of trustees and organisers of the Life in my City Arts Festival, who have nurtured this festival even till this day, and to all the sponsors who have also invested in this. It is a great thing that we are sending messages to the world through expressions of art”.

“In Enugu state, we firmly believe that in all our difficulties as a nation, the greatest message we must give to the youths is the message of hope, strengthened by our determination to continue to create a platform for hope, and an enabling environment for the youths to thrive” he said.

Also giving his remarks at the ceremony, Director, MTN Foundation, Dennis Okoro, commended the LIMCAF committee and stated that the Foundation does not regret sponsoring the Life in My City Arts Festival, especially as the LIMCAF objective aligns with the Foundation’s mandate focused on youth empowerment. He also advised the young artists present. “My advice to all young artists here is that you learn to work on your communication skills. Proper communication and education about your artwork are very important, and it is a key factor to helping an artist sell their works” he stated.

Also appreciating the efforts of sponsors, Chairman LIMCAF, Uke Kalu, said the festival would not have been possible without the help of the different corporates and individual sponsors. “A word of sincere gratitude to all our sponsors who give us the opportunity to contribute to youth development in Nigeria. A special thanks to MTN Foundation for their continued support over the years. I am proud to say that evidence points to the fact that your efforts have not been in vain” he said.

The MTN Foundation is actively invested in empowering Nigerian youths in the arts and creative industry through partnerships on various creative projects and theatre productions. Over the years, the Foundation has invested over N380 million in art and theatre projects, and over 3,000 young creatives and skilled professionals have benefitted from the Foundation’s support.