DAY 1

9:00 am – 10: 10 am – Registration

10:15 am - 10:25 am - Welcome and Introduction

10:30 am – 10: 40 am – Opening Remarks by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed)

10:45 am – 11:15 am – KeyNote Speech- Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo

11:30am – 12: 00pm – The Artists Voice – Nnenna Okore

12:05 pm – 12:50 pm– In Conversation – Critical Views

(Ugochukwu-Smooth Nzewi)

As Nigerian art expands in its reach, what conceptual and intellectual frameworks might be used to offer criticism? What mutually inclusive roles do curators and critics play, whether they are independent or affiliated to institutions, and whether or not they are based in Nigeria? This panel will examine the wide range of critical views that are at stake in the analyses and exhibition of Nigerian art.

12:55 pm – 1:30 pm – Lunch Break

1:40 pm – 2:20 pm – In Conversation – The Importance of Patronage (Prince Shyllon)

Young artists need to be told that their efforts are real and worth it. What forms do patronage take, whether within or outside traditional institutions like galleries and museums, and regardless of whether the patron is a collector? This conversation will draw from several examples in Nigerian art history to illustrate what is possible and effective.

2:25pm - 2:55pm - The Artists Voice – Victor Ehikhamenor

Victor Ehikamenor is a multifaceted artist. His practice comprises of painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, installations and unique paper perforations. From a small village in Edo state, Nigeria, He draws inspiration from the dual-aesthetic and spiritual traditions which were an integral part of his upbringing.

3:00 pm – 4:30 pm – Town Hall – Accessing Funding for the Visual Arts

Presentations/Question and Answer sessions