The creative industry in Lagos is definitely stirring our city. We are just recovering from the spectacular Lagos Fashion Week which was absolutely fabulous and we are diving right into more creative activities. From art fairs, to exhibitions, performances and shows, it is safe to say its the season for the creatives.
If you are an art enthusiast or just looking for alternative things to do in Lagos, we’ve got you! Here are some art events you don’t want to miss!
1. OPEN HOUSE LAGOS
November 2nd & 3rd
Open House Lagos 2019 is centred on showcasing the exchange of ideas and solutions through architecture. In this year’s theme, Crossing Borders: Building Bridges.
Open House Lagos will spread across Lagos Island, Victoria Island and the Mainland as it is deliberately curated to showcase the depth of architectural expression, aesthetics and functionality. It will also feature 25+ buildings and 7 tours spread across diverse transportation channels with the aim of providing tourists with a holistic feel of Lagos.
You can register for the tour here
The tour starts each day at 9.30 am and afternoon at 1 pm.
Start and End Point is the LASWA garden by Falomo bridge, Ikoyi
2. ART X LAGOS
November 1st and 2nd
Experience the very best of African contemporary and modern art and culture at ART X Lagos 2019. With over 90 artists and 22 galleries from Africa and the Diaspora, and eight sections of the fair, the fourth edition of West Africa’s premier international art fair is set to deliver a unique cutting edge experience. The fair will take place on the 1st and 2nd of November at The Federal Palace, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island.
The fair will feature an Access Bank Lounge, ART X Shop, The Café, Audio guides and of course the invite-only Art X Live.
You can get tickets here
3. LAGOS INTERNATIONAL POETRY FEST
October 30th- November 3rd
LIPFest2019 is a celebration of human resilience and the joy of our surviving. The festival enters its fifth year at a time of unprecedented activity, efforts to salvage something precious from the wreckages of humanity.
LIPFest2019 themed ‘A wild beautiful thing’ brings over fifty writers, poets and thinkers from over ten countries, and offers a multi-layered experience with something for everyone, from readings and performances to conversations, workshops, book launches, film screenings, music, and exhibitions.
The Festival presents a unique opportunity for artistic exchanges and community building.
The event takes place from October 30th to November 3rd at various locations in Lagos Island.
Tickets for the event range from 3,000 to N5,000. Click here for the full schedule.
4. ART SUMMIT
October 30th and 31st 2019
The Art Summit Nigeria is an annual educational platform to stimulate crossings between art and technology, bringing together a wide range of social actors to assess and plan for the future of Africa’s creative industry; featuring a conference, panel talks, experiential exhibitions and workshops. Themed ‘The Future of Art: Is Collaboration’ the summit will highlight the transformative role of artistic collaborations in expanding and creating opportunities for the art industry to thrive.
Speakers include Bayo Oke Lawal, Lisa Folawiyo, Lanre Da Silva, Peju Alatise, Kunle Afolayan, Adeyemi Michael, Tito Ibitola- Aderemi and more
The event will take place at Queens Park Events Centre Lagos from 10:100am daily
5. LAGOS BIENNAL
October 26th to November 30th
The second edition of Nigeria’s largest International Art exhibition of Contemporary Art holds at Independence Building on the Lagos Island from October 26th to November 30th and it is themed How To Build a Lagoon with Just a Bottle of Wine?
The exhibition will take the city of Lagos as its epicentre and point of departure for a broader investigation on how contemporary artists, designers, and other creatives, are responding to the challenges and possibilities of environments today. Inspired by lines from Nigerian writer Akeem Lasisi’s poem “A Song For Lagos,” the biennial’s title calls to mind the lagoons and waterways, that founded the city; the centuries-long histories of trade that have transformed Lagos; and daily herculean and inconceivable activities that support our burgeoning metropolis.
Curated by Antawan I. Byrd, Tosin Oshinowo and Oyinda Fakeye.
Tickets are available here from N1,000 to N5,000
6. LAGOS PHOTO FEST
October 26th – November 15th
Lagos Photo is the first international arts festival of photography in Nigeria. In a month-long festival, events include exhibitions, workshops, artist presentations, discussions and large scale outdoor prints displayed throughout the city with the aim of reclaiming public spaces and engaging the general public with multifaceted stories of Africa. This year’s edition is themed Passports, You can get a customized passport here. This edition intends to delve into the constraints and prospects of the most important official document a human being holds. This year’s edition aims to bring alive, an alternative global environment in which artists of different nationalities are invited to explore options of creating a fluid and permeable world, where nationality, gender, and historical imbalances are secondary.
The event will take place in different venues in Lagos. Check here for a full list of the programmes
Live. LAGOS!
