Another Christmas with the arts

Once again Christmas is here, offering reasons to celebrate and unwind.

While the season holds a lot of promises for descending fun lovers, it also has excitement for lovers of the arts.

From visual, performing art, live music, spoken word, theatrical performances to many other engaging shows, there are much offerings for the arts this festive season.

Starting with the theatre, Bolanle Austen-Peters, award-winning Nigerian filmmaker, premiered another riveting stage play titled ‘Motherland the Musical’, this festive season.

The play, premiered in Lagos on December 23, 2002 and will run till January 2, 2023. You need to see it because it features seasoned actors including Gideon Okeke, Semi Otedola, Uzo Osimpka, Bamike Olawunmi-Adenibuyan and Oluwatosin Adeyemi.

Another reason is that Bolanle Austen-Peters Productions has produced many enthralling musicals including: Death and the King’s Horseman, Wakaa the Musical, Saro the Musical, Oluronbi the Musical, among others.

Again, there an enthralling tjeatrical performance to see this festive period. Tagged ‘The Future is here’, the stage play will keep the audience at the edge of their seat for three days starting from December 30, 2022 to January 1, 2023 at Hall B, Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.

The play is sponsored by the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

Also, the recently renovated National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, has an array of events for the arts. Of course, there are lots of stage plays already running courtesy of dram companies especially The Crown Troupe of Africa and the National Troupe. Visit to enjoy the excitement on stage, while also appreciating the facility update at the theatre complex.

For visual art lovers, the year has been good with lots of exhibitions ans events especially the Art X Lagos.

The excitement continues this festive period with some enthralling art shows as well.

Already. Waiting for Tomorrow, a solo exhibition by Sam Ovraiti, a living art legend, concluded yesterday December 24, 2022. You can still visit Alexis Galleries in Victoria Island, Lagos to see the works and many other on showcase at the gallery, which is one of the most modern art galleries in Lagos.

A visit to the gallery is not just for arts, there are other offerings from gallery, studio. art cafe and lounge for unwinding this festive season.

Also live art is happening at Art Twenty One Gallery, inside Eko Hotel and Suites Lagos.

The exclusive gallery is offering hotel guests and the public opportunity to see ‘Statues Also breathe’, an enthralling exhibition by Prune Nourry, a sculptor and the Department of Fine & Applied Arts of the Obafemi-Awolowo

University in Ile-Ife undertaken in collaboration with the families of the Chibok girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria in 2014.

On display are 108 heads inspired by the ancient Ife terracotta heads that were casted in clay sourced from Ile-Ife, by potters from a female potter’s community in Ilorin and students of Obafemi-Awolowo University.

The exhibition, which opened on November 19, 2022 will run until February 2023.

Moreover, The Wheatbaker Hotel Ikoyi Lagos, which has been supporting the arts since its inception, is also inviting guests to enjoy its festive package and also delight in the beautiful artworks on its walls.

Cinemas accros the country are also busy with blockbuster movies, which premiered for the festive season. For movie streaming, Showmax is a place to visit now, especially for its latest series tagged ‘Crime and Justice Lagos’.

The new procedural drama series, which debuts this December.

It is set against the backdrop of Lagos, the biggest and most densely populated city in Africa, and explores the activities of the fictional Serious and Special Crimes Unit (SSCU) headed by Femi Biboye, its charismatic boss, Deputy Commissioner of Police (William Benson) and made up of an elite team of top detectives led by Superintendent Kelechi ‘KC’ Farasin (Folu Storms) and Superintendent Danladi Dikko (Jammal Ibrahim).

Watch new episodes every Thursday on Showmax for six weeks.

The museums across the country are open to visitors this festive period as well as galleries.

There are many art activities happening this festive period that can offer excitement to you and your loved ones, just make little effort, you will enjoy them.

Merry Christmas!