Nigeria’s Minister of Arts, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa, says that the government is committed to supporting the growth and development of creative industries across the country.
Speaking at the launch of EVVDEE Art Academy owned by Nigeria’s Guinness World Record holder for the Largest Drawing by an Individual, Dr Fola David, in Lagos, the minister said that the academy was aimed promoting creative and artistic excellence and address key gaps in the nation’s art sector.
According to the minister, the academy will serve as a global artist community, offering a space to learn, connect, showcase work, exchange ideas, collaborate, access mentorship, and grow professionally.
Musawa expressed moves by the Nigerian government to partner with the academy in a bid to produce more talents in arts.
She highlighted the skills gap in this field and commended David’s bold efforts to bridge it, aiming to strengthen Nigeria’s art market.
“We shall be leveraging this template to improve the art and creative sector by investing in talent skills development and avail them of necessary opportunities to become full-fledged artists,” the report by Punch newspaper quoted the minister as saying.
It added that the Special Assistant to the Nigerian President on Art, Culture and Creative Economy, Ayo Adeagbo, commended David’s step, stating that it reflects the commitment of the government to put Nigeria’s art on the global map.
Commenting on the Initiative, David explained that the idea stemmed from a noticeable disconnect among artists.
He noted that Evvdee’s setup fosters a family-like bond among learners and professionals in Nigeria and beyond.
David said, “Certain things are key for artists such as exhibition and sense of family bond, I feel these things are lacking which was a major challenge for me in my journey. These and many more are what we aim to address with this academy.
“In addition to training, we want to mitigate some of the social challenges faced by artists by bringing them together under one umbrella where they can meet once in three months to brainstorm on industry and trends as well as personal issues.”
GIK/APA