The National Gallery of Art held its 8th National Symposium on Visual Arts on May 8, 2025, at the Dr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike Senate Building, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt. The symposium’s theme was “Unleashing a New Renaissance in Nigeria’s Visual Art Sector: Boosting and Redefining the Nation’s Creative Economy”. This event brought together art scholars, studio artists, art patrons, art students, and the art community to brainstorm on topics affecting the visual art subsector.
The symposium aimed to examine the evolving intersections between creativity, technology, economic empowerment, and national cohesion in Nigeria’s visual art sector. Visual art was recognized as a potential “oil-spinning profession” that can diversify Nigeria’s economy and boost microeconomic activities for sustainable growth and development. This aligns with the government’s economic agenda on job creation and youth empowerment.
Professor Barineme Beke Fakae, Chairman of the occasion, emphasized the significance of visual art in Nigeria’s economic development. His Royal Highness Rt. Honorable Agolia Cookey Aboko Benebo (JP) and Professor Frank Agbiyoa Omoh Ugiomoh, who presented a paper on the symposium’s theme, were among the notable attendees.
The symposium provided a platform for enriching discussions on the intersection of art, technology, and economic empowerment, highlighting art’s profound role in personal and social transformation. By exploring the therapeutic essence of visual arts, the event celebrated the timeless connection between art and holistic well-being.
In essence, the 8th National Symposium on Visual Arts served as a convergence of art intellectuals to shape the future of Nigeria’s visual art sector, leveraging creativity and technology to drive economic growth and national cohesion