Committee for Relevant Art (CORA) is a Nigerian not for profit platform of artists, art critics and aficionados, and a publisher. The members describe themselves as cultural landscapists, and focus on social involvement and debate of cultural issues. [1]
The organization was founded on June 2, 1991, by Toyin Akinosho, Yomi Layinka, Josey Ogbuanoh, Tunde Lanipekun and Chika Okeke-Agulu, and is involved in the organization of various events and activities which support cultural expression and contemporary art. CORA mainly focuses on Nigeria, but meets with a wide response in the rest of the African continent as well. The organization pays attention to several cultural expressions, like literature, theatre, cabaret, films, television programs and music. [1]
CORA is the co-organizer behind several events in Lagos, like quarterly the Art Stampede and annually the Lagos Book & Art Festival (LABAF), the open air Cinema Carnival and Lagos Comics Carnival. Furthermore, it is the publisher of the quarterly magazine Lagos The City Arts Guide, [2] it publishes books and founded several libraries. It also serves as a platform of various forums, like the Arthouse Forum. [1]
In 2006 the Committee for Relevant Art was honored with a Prince Claus Award, in recognition of its 'energetic activities' and for its leadership in enabling the 'contribution of dedicated civilians to stimulate the arts'. [1]
Some artists connected to CORA are playwright and film director Wole Oguntokun, writer and film maker Onyeka Nwelue, critic and publisher Toyin Akinosho and arts and culture journalist Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo. [1] [3] [4]
Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti, also known as Abami Eda, was a Nigerian musician, bandleader, composer, political activist, and Pan-Africanist. He is regarded as the pioneer of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre that combines West African music with American funk and jazz. At the height of his popularity, he was referred to as one of Africa's most "challenging and charismatic music performers". AllMusic described him as a musical and sociopolitical voice of international significance.
The Prince Claus Fund was established in 1996, named in honor of Prince Claus of the Netherlands. It receives an annual subsidy from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
doual'art is a non profit cultural organisation and art centre founded in 1991 in Douala, Cameroon and focussed on new urban practices of African cities.
Ndidi Dikepronunciation was born in 1960 in London. She is a Nigeria-based visual artist working in sculpture and mixed-media painting. She is one of Nigeria's leading female artists.She is from Amaokwe Item in Bende local government of Abia State. She has 3 living sisters
Glendora Review is a Nigerian magazine that publishes work relating to art, literature, and culture.
Lemi Ghariokwu, also known simply as Lemi, is a Nigerian painter, illustrator and designer who is most renowned for providing many of the original cover images for the recordings of Nigerian musician Fela Kuti.
Oluwagbenga Adedoyin Salu, who is simply known as Gbenga Salu, is a Nigerian film director, film editor and visual effects artist. He has won and also has been nominated for several awards for his music video productions. He enrolled for Mechanical Engineering, and then transferred to the Department of Creative Arts at the University of Lagos Nigeria, where he graduated in 2005. He is married to Temitope-Gbenga Salu who is also a graduate of accounting from the University of Lagos. She is also a professional actress, voice over artiste and writer.
The following is a timeline of the history of the metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria.
Dele Jegede is a Nigerian-American painter, art historian, cartoonist, curator, art critic, art administrator, and teacher. Jegede was a Senior Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, (1995). He taught at Spelman College, Atlanta as Visiting Fulbright Scholar (1987-1988), when he curated the exhibition, Art By Metamorphosis. Listed in Kelly and Stanley's "Nigerian Artists: A Who's Who & Bibliography," Jegede was Professor and Chair of the Department of Art, Indiana State University, Terre Haute (2002-2005) and Professor of Art at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, (2005-2010). He retired as Professor Emeritus in May 2015. Jegede is recipient of the Distinguished Africanist Award of the University of Texas. He is currently the Chairman, board of trustees of the Cartoonists Association of Nigeria (CARTAN).
Festac '77, also known as the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture, was a major international festival held in Lagos, Nigeria, from 15 January 1977 to 12 February 1977. The month-long event celebrated African culture and showcased to the world African music, fine art, literature, drama, dance and religion. About 16,000 participants, representing 56 African nations and countries of the African Diaspora, performed at the event. Artists who performed at the festival included Stevie Wonder from United States, Gilberto Gil from Brazil, Bembeya Jazz National from Guinea, Mighty Sparrow from Trinidad and Tobago, Les Ballets Africains, South African Miriam Makeba, and Franco Luambo Makiadi. At the time it was held, it was the largest pan-African gathering to ever take place.
The Lagos International Trade Fair (LITF) is the largest international exhibition in West Africa. The Trade Fair is the premier International Trade Fair in Nigeria with the spectacular 10-day event usually starting on the first Friday of November, annually.
Felabration is an annual music festival conceived in 1998 by Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti in memory and celebration of her father Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician and human rights activist known for pioneering the afrobeat genre of music. The one-week-long event which is held annually at the New Afrika Shrine in Ikeja, attracts visitors from different countries and has thus been considered as an official tourist destination by the Lagos State Government.
The Mbari Club was a centre for cultural activity by African writers, artists and musicians that was founded in Ibadan, Nigeria, in 1961 by Ulli Beier, with the involvement of a group of young writers including Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe. Mbari, an Igbo concept related to "creation", was suggested as the name by Achebe. Among other Mbari members were Christopher Okigbo, J. P. Clark and South African writer Ezekiel Mphahlele, Frances Ademola, Demas Nwoko, Mabel Segun, Uche Okeke, Arthur Nortje and Bruce Onobrakpeya.
Ade Abayomi Olufeko, is an American-born designer, technologist, and entrepreneur primarily active in Lagos. His international work in humanities has been leveraged by Consortiums, NGOs, and high-impact leaders. He is the founder of Visual Collaborative, an American festival, and publishing platform that partners with artists, scientists, lawyers, and innovators on socio-economics. In 2003, he became a recipient of the IBM Gerstner Award for exceptional service during a malware epidemic.
Peju Layiwola is an art Historian and visual artist from Nigeria who works in a variety of media and genre. She is listed as a "21st Century Avant-Garde" in the book Art Cities of the Future published by Phaidon Press She is currently a Professor of Art and Art history at the University of Lagos and has been described as a "multitalented artist." Her works can be found in the collection of Microsoft Lagos, Yemisi Shyllon Museum, Pan Atlantic, Lagos and homes of private collectors such as JP and Ebun Clark and the Obi of Onitsha.
Jelili Atiku is a multimedia performance artist and sculptor from Lagos, Nigeria. His performance with drawing, photography, installation sculpture, video and live performance have made him one of the most recognized performance artists from Nigeria around the world. His work is said to have a power which "lies in his use of Yoruba symbols and traditions of his local community"
The Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) is an annual arts festival founded in 1999 by the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), a Nigerian-based cultural organisation.
Jahman Oladejo Anikulapo is a Nigerian journalist and culture archivist.
King of Thieves (Agẹṣinkólé) is a 2022 Nigerian thriller film produced by Femi Adebayo and directed by Tope Adebayo and Adebayo Tijani. It stars Odunlade Adekola, Femi Adebayo, Toyin Abraham, Broda Shaggi, Adebowale "Debo" Adedayo aka Mr Macaroni, Lateef Adedimeji, and Ibrahim Chatta. The Epic Yoruba-language movie was produced by Femi Adebayo's Euphoria360 media and co-produced by the Niyi Akinmolayan's Anthill studios. The movie's premiere was held on April 4, 2022, and the star-studded event was held at the IMAX Cinemas, Lekki, Lagos which featured lot of trends and talk-point. The movie hit the cinema nationwide from April 8, 2022,