Culture

Lagos Street Art Festival Sparks Positive Creative Shift

Published

10 months ago

November 21, 2025

The Lagos Street Art Festival will boost tourism and creativity as Lagos partners with Inscribe Art to celebrate public murals and community expression

The Lagos creative landscape is set to experience a fresh wave of energy as the Lagos Street Art Festival prepares to debut in November 2025 through a partnership between the Lagos State Government and Inscribe Art.

Also read: Lagos International Theatre Festival Delivers Vibrant Opening

Announced at a press conference in Ndubuisi Kanu Park, the initiative seeks to transform public spaces with bold murals while deepening tourism and civic pride across the city.

Organisers described the festival, themed Legendary Lagos: City of Dreams, as a movement created for artists and residents alike.

They noted that global cities such as Berlin, Miami and Sao Paulo have long harnessed the power of street art to attract visitors and grow their creative economies, a model Lagos now hopes to adapt.

Karishma Daryani-Chugani of the LSAF founding council said the event would also involve international artists working alongside local talents to build capacity and create meaningful cultural exchange.

The General Manager of LASPARK, Adetoun Popoola, explained that murals already incorporated within public parks would integrate seamlessly into the festival’s design, ensuring that public art remains accessible to every Lagosian.

She emphasised that the project was conceived to promote both culture and tourism in Lagos State.

Running from 25 November to 10 December 2025, the festival will feature story walls, public art sessions, workshops, the OSA 7 x 10 exhibition, fireside conversations and artist-led talks.

These events aim to connect communities through creativity, storytelling and shared urban experiences.

The festival is co-led by renowned visual artist Osa Okunkpolor, popularly known as Osa Seven, and creative director Akinlabi Akinbulumo, also known as Phisha. Akinbulumo stressed that art should reach beyond gallery walls into streets, schools and everyday environments, reflecting the identity of Lagosians.

Okunkpolor added that the initiative represented empowerment, giving artists who may not have gallery access the chance to showcase their work.

Another founding council member, Adaora Mbelu, reinforced that the festival was designed to democratise art by placing it directly in the public domain. She said creativity should be accessible to all, regardless of background or status.

Berger Paints, represented by marketing partner Oluwatomi Ikenye, expressed pride in supporting the cultural push, noting that art drives education, mental wellbeing and community identity.

He said the company viewed its involvement as a natural extension of its role in Nigeria’s architectural and cultural transformation.

Also read: ART X Lagos 10th Anniversary Celebrates African Creativity

The Managing Director of the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, Fatiu Akiolu, concluded that the agency’s role would be to regulate and enhance Lagos’ visual environment as the festival unfolds across the city.

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Culture

WAKE UP! Art Exhibition Returns for a Second Act

Published

2 weeks ago

August 27, 2026

Mariam Balogun

The contemporary art and photography exhibition “Wake Up!” is back again for a second edition.

Curated by Awele Onwordi, Wake Up! 2 exhibition pays homage to the Nigerian youth and burgeoning street culture which many of its contributing artists reference in their works.

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Titled “Young, Wild, Free”, the exhibition celebrates the creativity, resilience, freedom and cultural influence found in Nigerian youth.

Taking aim at societal issues and economic concerns, the exhibit reflects the youth and their refusal to compromise or bow despite all the challenges stacked against them while charting youth culture through art, music, fashion, skateboarding, photography and community.

The exhibition will be held, once again, at the Angel and Muse Gallery at 25 Sumbo Jibowu street off Ribadu Road off Awolowo Road in Ikoyi.

It will open on Saturday 5 September 2026 and will run until 11 September 2026
This second edition which focuses on celebrating, nurturing and exploring artistic practices rooted in youth and street culture will feature works from DENCITY and SUPERGLIDER HOUSE.

Exhibiting artists include Ajilore Kehinde – their work is deeply influenced by Nigerian street culture and works of other artists like Slawn, Peters Ejiro, etc, Chuka Onwordi – graphic designer who embodies themes of death, melancholy and beauty in his works, ZIDYEP – Abuja based creative whose works move between digital and physical spaces through art, graphic design and air brushing , Franklyn Okoye – graphic designer and artist whose works explore themes of identity and hyper-reality, Awele Onwordi – founder & curator of WAKE UP and multidisciplinary artist whose practice spans character art, creative logo design, album covers and more , Oluchi Kogolo – digital illustrator whose work explores street culture, personality and storytelling through a raw and playful visual style and Kozetuo Apeji – multidisciplinary artists who work explores experimental approaches to problem solving through both digital and traditional art forms.

Commenting on the exhibition in her curatorial statement, Awele noted that “despite economic instability, limited opportunities and socio-political challenges, Nigerian youth continue to shape culture through music, fashion, art, skateboarding, raves, photography and community.”

Also read: Five rising stars battle for 2026 Headies Next Rated

Continuing and harping on the raison d’etre of the exhibition she said, “Young, Wild and Free exists to celebrate Nigerian youth while also creating a platform that supports and amplifies them.”