A woman performing on stage with a microphone, showcasing Africa’s lively entertainment scene.
African creatives have been producing art since the dawn of time, but it’s only been within the past twenty years or so that the world has begun to appreciate it. While numerous factors are at play, it’s clear that societal and economic transformations, particularly in Nigeria, have led to a groundswell in popularity for all manners of African art. In a country of more than 250 ethnic groups, the art scene has multiple strands. Two key influences are the 1960s Oshogbo Movement in southwestern Nigeria, whose members were active in painting, sculpture, music and theatre; and the Zaria Art Society, which was formed in the north in 1958 — two years before independence — and sought to explore the roots of the country’s art outside of western influence.