The Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) and Ventures Platform have launched a three-year partnership aimed at combining art, innovation, and entrepreneurship at Pan-Atlantic University.

The initiative, announced on Thursday, introduces a university-wide entrepreneurship programme alongside a ₦10m annual public art commission.

Organisers say the collaboration is designed to equip students and artists with practical skills while encouraging creative thinking around the future.

Why it matters

The programme comes at a time when Nigerian universities are under increasing pressure to produce graduates with both technical and creative skills.

By merging art with entrepreneurship, the partners say they aim to create a more holistic learning environment — one that reflects the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.

It also signals growing interest from private sector investors in shaping education and innovation ecosystems beyond funding startups.

Inside the partnership

The initiative will run from 2026 and is built on two main components.

The first is a student engagement programme embedded within the university curriculum.

Through guest lectures, masterclasses, and practical sessions, students will interact with investors and startup operators, gaining insights into building scalable businesses.

YSMA will facilitate these sessions, linking academic learning with real-world experience.

₦10m Futures Art Award

The second pillar is the Ventures Platform–YSMA Futures Art Award, a new annual commission supporting public sculptures.

Each year, one artist will receive ₦10m to create a large-scale outdoor installation within the university campus.

The organisers say the project will encourage artists to explore themes such as innovation, technology, and public engagement.

The works are expected to be durable and interactive, designed for long-term outdoor display.

👉 Apply here:

https://museum.pau.edu.ng/articles/call-for-applications-the-ventures-platform-ysma-futures-art-award

What stakeholders are saying

Kola Aina, Founder and General Partner at Ventures Platform, said the initiative reflects the firm’s broader vision for innovation.

“At Ventures Platform, we see every day how innovative thinking can expand access and solve hard problems but we also recognize that progress is driven as much by imagination as it is by execution.”

“As we mark our 10th anniversary, this initiative reflects our commitment to intentionally designing environments where the next generation of founders can emerge — equipped with clarity, capability, and conviction to build for the future.”

Jess Castellote, Director of YSMA, said museums must play a more active role in shaping future ideas.

“This collaboration reflects our belief that museums are not just spaces for preserving the past, but platforms for shaping the future through public engagement.”

“By bringing together art and entrepreneurship, we are creating new ways for both artists, students and our visitors to engage with the systems and ideas that will define our world.”

Vice-Chancellor of Pan-Atlantic University, Enase Okonedo, highlighted the educational value.

“This initiative speaks directly to the Pan-Atlantic University’s commitment to experiential learning and interdisciplinary education.”

“It creates a meaningful pathway for our students to engage with industry leaders while also exposing them to the critical and creative thinking that drives innovation.”

YSMA Director, Jess Castellote in a conversation with the Founder and General Partner of Ventures Platform, Kola Aina during a Courtesy Visit and Tour of the YSMA

Who can apply

Applications for the Futures Art Award opened on April 2, 2026, and will close on May 18, 2026.

The award is open to Nigerian and non-Nigerian artists based in Nigeria working in sculpture and installation.

Selected works must focus on experiential and technology-driven public art.

Industry and public perspective

Experts say the initiative reflects a broader global trend where art, technology, and entrepreneurship increasingly intersect.

In Nigeria, such collaborations remain relatively rare, making this programme a potential model for other institutions.

Students and young creatives are also expected to benefit from direct exposure to investors — an opportunity often limited outside startup hubs.

What’s next

The first cohort of student engagements is expected to begin within the academic year.

Meanwhile, the inaugural Futures Art Award winner will be selected after the application window closes in May.

Organisers say the long-term goal is to build a sustainable ecosystem where creativity and enterprise reinforce each other.

1952 Africa has announced the opening of Between Here and Elsewhere, a group exhibition marking the culmination of its 2025 Art Accelerator Programme.

The exhibition will open on Friday, 7 March 2025 at 5:00 PM at the 1952 Africa Gallery in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

It features new works by five emerging African artists who have completed an intensive year-long residency designed to support and position young creatives within local and global art ecosystems.

Why It Matters

Nigeria’s art scene has grown rapidly in recent years, attracting international collectors and global attention.

Programmes such as the 1952 Africa Art Accelerator aim to build long-term careers for emerging artists, rather than offering one-off exhibitions.

The show explores themes of identity, displacement, layered memory and imagined futures — issues that resonate strongly in a continent shaped by migration, history and reinvention.

Across painting, ceramics, mixed media and multidisciplinary forms, the artists interrogate what it means to exist “between” places, cultures and expectations.

The Artists in Focus

The 2025 cohort includes:

Yasmin Mbadiwe (Nigeria), multidisciplinary artist

Evans Torngmortey Akornor (Ghana), contemporary artist

Shariff Bakare (Nigeria), mixed media artist

Olúbùnmi Atéré (Nigeria), ceramic and mixed media artist

Tomnyuy Salvador Eric (Morocco), contemporary visual artist

Their works were developed through structured mentorship, critical dialogue, research-driven exploration and collaborative exchange.

What 1952 Africa Says

Amanda Madumere, Programme Manager at 1952 Africa, described the exhibition as a turning point.

“This curated exhibition represents the conclusion of a residency and signals a moment of transition,” she says. “These artists are navigating complex questions about identity, place, and authorship in a rapidly shifting world. Our role at 1952 Africa is to create the structure, visibility, and critical support that allows them to move confidently from local relevance to global engagement.”

Since its inception, the Art Accelerator Programme has positioned emerging African artists within both local and international contexts.

It provides mentorship, studio support, feedback sessions and exhibition opportunities aimed at building sustainable artistic careers.

What Visitors Can Expect

Visitors to the exhibition can expect deeply personal yet socially resonant pieces.

The notion of “between-ness” is explored as both condition and catalyst — reflecting shifting geographies, inherited memory and evolving identities.

The exhibition is open to collectors, curators, institutions and members of the public.

The Nigeria Customs Service has framed the Festival of Arts for Economic Development (FAED) as more than a cultural event. Speaking at the 5th edition in Idiroko Border on Thursday, Deputy Comptroller O.O. Afeni, Acting Customs Area Controller of Ogun Area 1 Command, said the festival shows that sustainable border management involves economic and social initiatives, not just enforcement.

“The theme, ‘Rebranding Borderline Communities through Creative Empowerment and Entrepreneurship,’ aligns with our commitment to supporting legitimate trade, encouraging value addition, and promoting small-scale enterprises as drivers of economic growth and border stability,” he said.

FAED, now in its fifth year, has become a platform for cultural diplomacy, skill development, and cross-border engagement between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin.

Culture as a Tool for Economic Growth

Dr Bonny Abisogun Botoku, Executive Producer of the Festival and Permanent Secretary of the Nigeria–Benin Inter-Border Forum, said the festival is a movement rather than a one-off event.

“Borders are not just lines on maps. They are meeting points of culture, gateways of trade, and spaces of shared history,” he said. “Through this Festival, we aim to change the story from suspicion to trust, from survival to enterprise, and from isolation to integration.”

He emphasized that art, music, fashion, crafts, food systems, and storytelling are powerful tools for fostering pride, social cohesion, and economic growth in border communities.

Industry and Community Impact

Deputy Comptroller Afeni highlighted that empowerment initiatives embedded in FAED are practical pathways to reducing illicit activities and strengthening lawful commerce.

“Citizens must understand why we are here. We train people in garri-making, painting, tie-and-dye, and other skills,” he said. “It’s a way of empowering the community and helping take people out of smuggling into legitimate enterprise.”

He added that the festival also fosters stronger ties between Nigeria and Benin, noting that many participants received graduation certificates for completing training programs.

Voices from the Border

Traditional leaders and dignitaries, including the Onitaege of Itaege, HRM Oba Matthew Ademola Abisoye, attended the event alongside government officials, security representatives, artists, and trainees.

“This festival deliberately places culture at the center of development, not at the margins,” said Dr Botoku, reinforcing the message that border communities are potential economic hubs, not areas of risk.

What’s Next

FAED continues to provide a model for combining cultural heritage, entrepreneurship, and regional cooperation to create resilient border communities. The Nigeria Customs Service remains committed to partnerships that promote lawful trade, peaceful borders, and sustainable regional integration.