Forum wants Art Gallery act review to generate income

The Federal Government has been urged to review the National Gallery of Art Establishment Act to become an income-generating agency.

The call is contained in the communique at the end of the annual stakeholders’ forum organised by the National Gallery of Art (NGA) in Abuja.

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The communique was jointly signed by Prof. Irene Agunloye, the Director, Centre for Gender and Women Studies, University of Jos; Dr John Oyedemi, Head of Department of Fine and Applied Art, University of Jos; and Associate Professor Blaise Gundu Gbaden, Head of Department of Fine Arts, Federal University of Lafia.

The forum also urged the Federal Government to build a befitting National Gallery structure for the NGA so that the over 5,000 artworks of masters in its domain can be domiciled and properly curated.

“The arts sector should look inwards for the generation of funds by being innovative and creative in its approaches; Art centres such as the NGA, the National Museum and the National Theatre should strive to become income and revenue generation institutions where several billions of Naira can be realized as is the practice in developed economies.

“The visual arts sector can aspire to transform into a huge income-generating sector capable of sustaining the economic and social well-being of the people of Nigeria,” the forum said.

It said that a policy can be drafted so that certain percentages of companies’ earnings should be dedicated to the financing and promotion of the creative arts and culture industries on an annual basis.

The forum also called for a general sensitization drive by both the private and public sector stakeholders to build public and sustain awareness for the patronage of and the value of visual arts and culture in Nigeria.

“The pathway to grants, loans, intervention funds and other lending platforms should be made easily accessible to artists and their interest rates substantially minimized.

“Art marketing and entrepreneurial skills acquisition courses be introduced into the art curriculum of art schools to adequately prepare students for the realities of life beyond the confines of the academia,” the communique read.