ART X Lagos 10th anniversary showcases African creativity with a powerful theme and global participation at its milestone edition
ART X Lagos 10th anniversary concluded on Sunday, November 9, 2025, after four days of rich artistic expression that celebrated African creativity through contemporary art, craft and culture.
The milestone edition, themed Imagining Otherwise, No Matter the Tide, drew admiration for its powerful focus on resilience, hope and possibility across African art.
Known this year as 10X, the fair highlighted the ingenuity of artists from Nigeria and across the continent. Although the public exhibition began on November 6, the glamorous VIP Preview on November 7 set the tone for the anniversary celebrations.
Held at the ART X Amphitheatre, the exclusive gathering offered collectors, patrons and select media an intimate look at the presentations before the general opening.
Throughout the fair, the Federal Palace Hotel was transformed into a sprawling art environment featuring the Main Section, Spotlight Galleries, Kids’ Corner, Speakers’ Corner, ART X Cinema and the energetic ART X Live.
One of the standout moments was a tribute exhibition to legendary photographer J.D. ’Okhai Ojeikere, curated from six thousand physical negatives to reveal two hundred rare works spanning more than sixty years.
Over the past decade, the fair has welcomed more than seven hundred thousand visitors from over one hundred and seventy countries, affirming Lagos as a thriving cultural capital on the global stage.
Reflecting on the journey, the founder of ART X Lagos, Tokini Peterside Schwebig, said she felt deep pride introducing the fair for the tenth time. She described this year’s theme as an invitation to rise above challenges by reaching a higher mental and creative space.
Dignitaries in attendance included Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu, Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Toke Benson Awoyinka, and Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers CEO Olumide Oyetan.
The fair also drew leading voices from the creative industries, with curators Missla Libsekal, Jumoke Sanwo, Teju Okiti, Fikayo Adebanjo and Lanre Masha contributing to the anniversary edition.
As the curtains closed, the 10X edition reaffirmed the fair’s bold vision and its enduring commitment to expanding the global presence of African art.