By Chinweoke Akoma

DETERMINED to ensure that Nigerian art plays its crucial role as the basis for national growth, the African Artists’ Foundation is set to stage its second national art competition.  According to the organizers, this year’s event with the theme: “Nigeria: The Future I see” sponsored by the Nigerian Breweries Plc, is geared towards providing scholarships and career opportunities for young and upcoming artists in line with the foundation’s vision.

Speaking on the uniqueness of  event, chairman of the foundation, Azu Nwagbogu, said the development of art in Nigeria and Africa was founded upon the development of young and upcoming artists, noting that “this art competition is targeted at the future of Art in Nigeria.”

Last year, the foundation organised a similar competition with the theme “The Unbreakable Nigerian Spirit” which saw the emergence of 10 winners. This year the AAF and NB Plc hope to unearth more young and emerging artists.

The artists are expected to show case their unique creativity in the four main categories of painting, sculpture, photography and new media after which four winners will be picked from each category in each of the six geo political zones for the workshop.

At the end of the workshop four winners will emerge and each would go home with a cash prize of N750,000.
Exhibitions of works of the winning artists would also be held in Lagos and Abuja while winners would be exposed to the limelight at the highest levels.