The British Council has indicated its willingness to continue to support Nigeria’s creative industry, saying that with the right investment and support, it has the potential to be the highest employer of labour and contributor to the nation’s wealth.
Speaking at the Creative Enterprise Showcase Programme (CESP) in Abuja, Project Manager Arts and Creative Industry, British Council SSA, Uju Dubas-Agbasi, noted that the creative industries in Nigeria was rapidly growing economic powerhouses that were increasingly being recognised as pathways for sustainable livelihoods for young people across art forms.
Dubas-Agbasi while noting that: “However, most (creative artists) are faced with obstacles of weak policy support, a lack of infrastructure, low levels of awareness of the livelihood opportunities that exist within the art sectors and limited opportunities especially for networking, collaborations, and skill-sharing,” added that if the industry was properly harnessed and supported it has the potential of leading the earning index of Nigeria.
She added: “To understand the state of the industry, it is important to highlight some of the several business opportunities that are integral and immensely profitable which include but are not limited to, showcasing of various creative art forms through seminars, art events and residency.”
She disclosed that: “The British Council Creative Economy Showcase Programme aims to stimulate links among Nigerian creatives by providing them access to the British Council exhibition spaces, for displays, showcases and performances.”
She insisted that: “This initiative is in line with our goal at British Council to support the creation of new art and sharing this art to audiences.
“As part of British Council’s engagement with the art community and creative entrepreneurs, we have launched this programme and it will run between the months of September 2022 and March 2023. The programme intends to grant selected exhibitors permitted access to use the British Council exhibition spaces (for up to two consecutive days in Abuja, Lagos, Kano and Port Harcourt for displays, showcases and performances.”
She revealed that the activities were put together by curators in each of the cities.
The Arts Curator of the Abuja Project, Philip Agbese, on his part, said all that creative art industry needed to attain the lofty height is if the enabling environment and the right legislation.
