Meet the Creative Intermediaries: Lagos Forum

On the 11th of April we hosted an incredibly talented and enthusiastic group of creative intermediaries from Lagos and beyond.
The event was hosted by a new art education / co-working space in Ikoyi called Angels & Muse, providing an inspirational atmosphere for our workshop with art showcased in our surroundings. ​

The event began with a brief presentation from the UK team which introduced the role of creative intermediaries and started off the discussion in relation to developing sustainable creative economies. The presentation is available to download below.

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The second session of discussion, led by Lauren England, focused on the needs and experiences of creatives. We considered their needs in Lagos/Nigeria and the challenges they face in moving from start-ups to establish businesses. Many participants highlighted the difficulties for creatives in establishing and maintaining a healthy supply chain and working with other creatives and non-creatives to develop their business. It was discussed how this often resulted in individuals having to cover too many multiple roles (from artists, to promoters, to printers and sellers), which gave them less room to be creative.

After a coffee break the discussion led by Dr Roberta Comunian focused on creative intermediaries, trying to define them and consider how they work together in the Nigerian context and understand what knowledge and skills they require to face current challenges. Participants highlighted the importance for intermediaries to have experience as creatives themselves, but also the importance of developing specific knowledge of the sector they work in. Finally, they discussed how value and integrity were key to the work of creative intermediaries.  
 After a lovely and generous Nigeria lunch we were back for more discussion around mobility and international networks; many highlighted the importance of international exchanges and training abroad. However, an issue around selection criteria for international competitions was raised; as Nigerians tend to undertake training and establish themselves later in life than their international counterparts, they are often at a disadvantage in entering competitions targeted at 25 to 35 years old producers or creatives.

thanks to Oguntade Olubola for the photos here above

The final session of the day was led by Yemisi Mokuolu from Hatch Africa reflecting on the current (and potential) role of technology in bringing together intermediaries. Here participants highlighted the importance of storytelling on social media to connect with local and global audiences. They expressed a wish for a digital hub connecting creatives across Nigeria but also acknowledged the challenges in developing and maintaining such a platform. 
As organisers we felt everyone had been extremely generous and friendly at the event and by the end of the day we felt like a little family. Many of the participants also joined the team at an evening event organised by one of the participants Kamil Olufowobi at Terra Kulture, a Lagos cultural centre. The event included a debate on ‘Hollywood Meets Nollywood’ with special guest Abi Matesun and notable Nollywood personalities as panellists, with Stephanie Busari, CNN Africa, as the moderator. At the end of the event Kamil kindly provided Dr Roberta Comunian with an opportunity to introduce the research project to the audience.  

Event report written by Dr Roberta Comunian and Lauren England