British council boosts creative sector

The Country Director of the British Council in Nigeria, Lucy Pearson, has said the council’s creative economy showcase programme which started in November, 2022, will run through March, 2023, is aimed at stimulating links among Nigerian creatives by providing them access to the British Council’s exhibition spaces for displays, showcases and performances in prime locations in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos and Kano states.

Though the initiative is aimed at assisting performance artistes and art exhibitors in recovering from the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the bigger picture is to use the creative industry as part of the building blocks for the national economy.

Lucy Pearson said, “This initiative by the British Council is assisting performance artists and art exhibitors, many of whom were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resultant economic challenges. Many creative businesses, particularly those involving art forms that require live performances, are still recovering from the long-term harmful effects of the crisis.”

British Council’s Head of Arts, West Africa and Creative Economy Lead SSA, Brenda Fashugba, said the intervention would stimulate creative entrepreneurship.

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The British Council appointed four curators to review submissions from artists and creative entrepreneurs following a widely advertised call for applications that ended in July 2022. The curators for the four venues in the different states were Creative Arts and Visual Imagery Centre (CAVIC) in Abuja, TASCK in Lagos, StartUp South in Port Harcourt and StartUp Kano in Kano. The curators selected the best entries for venue support and worked with the exhibitors to deliver their work and draw audiences to attend. All profits made through the sale of tickets or other financial rewards, including sponsorships, would go to the exhibitors.