Her smile that Wednesday afternoon was amusing. She spoke softly and hesitated at some point, as I interrogated her. She has a new project she is handling and she tells me she want to redefine art. Her name is Stella Izuwa, the business development manager at CoolMeeks Concept, the brain behind ‘Art of the Heart,’ a comedy, music and fashion show slated for Sunday, March 24, at the Coral Hall, Victoria Island, Lagos.
“For me, art defines creativity, and heart defines emotions. It is about feelings or relationships. Hence, ‘Art of the Heart’ is an event with a blend of business and relaxation,” she says.
She also says the essence of the event is to encourage and promote young entrepreneurs, as “we want young people to exhibit their creative and proudly made-in-Nigeria works for guests at the event to appreciate and buy. Some of these entrepreneurs are graduates with no jobs but learnt a skill or two, some are just talented. We hope to exhibit in some of these areas – fashion accessories, soft furnishings, artworks, confectionaries, etc.”
According to her, Art of the Heart will also offer the right atmosphere for families and friends to bond. “The hectic and metropolitan nature of Lagos makes wholesome relaxation a rarity. The event is also a platform for couples and singles to take time out to relax with their loved ones,” she says.
The high rate of unemployment led Izuwa and her team to create a show that will enable them showcase their ingenuity. “We understand the high rate of unemployment, especially among graduates in Nigeria. We also found out in our survey that the rate of separation and divorce in Nigeria is gradually rising. And so, we thought of having a different kind of event, something more humane and a creative way of addressing such issues in our own little way, we don’t have to always wait for the government,” she says.
She also says the event is aimed at providing a platform for young entrepreneurs to showcase their skills, ideas and business, this way they will build confidence in their works and expand their horizon.
“It will enable young people network and interface with a lead medium, and small business consultant will give a talk on entrepreneurship. This is one way of creating job for themselves and others who they will eventually employ as demand rises. Hence, promoting made-in-Nigeria goods and reducing the high rate of unemployment in Nigeria,” Izuwa says.
It is not a surprise therefore that her target audience is upcoming business people. “Our target audience is young entrepreneurs (upcoming, not already established entrepreneurs) with creative self-made works, collectors or buyers of these works and the singles and married,” she says.
In addition, she explains that comedy, music and fashion are included in the event line-up because young people are involved.
“As young people, we have to promote and practice what we believe and preach. We believe so much in creativity and this can be seen in the nature of the event. We plan an event different from the usual norm, hence a blend of business or exhibition and fashion show including comedy, music,” she says.
“At the event, there is something for everyone,” she continues, “whether you are looking to get laid back and laugh, or just hold hands of your loved one while you nod/dance to cool music or watch latest fashion on the Runway by young designers or looking to buy unique works by the exhibitors, listen to a talk by our experts or just show off on our Red carpet, we have all that covered,” she says.
Companies and individuals can also advertise on our advert brochure; it is a unique blend.
Izu explains that at least 20 exhibitors are expected at this maiden edition of Art of the Heart, as “we are looking at young entrepreneurs with creative self-made-in-Nigeria works in fashion, catering, art and crafts, soft furnishings, etc., and they are not known names yet. We have a couple of them, we are still working on getting more.”
FUNKE OSAE-BROWN
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