Zenith Bank Returns As Silver Sponsor For ART X Lagos 2026 To Celebrate African Art And Creative Economy | Blissful Affairs Online
Zenith Bank Plc has reaffirmed its support for Nigeria’s creative industry by returning as Silver Sponsor for ART X Lagos 2026.
The 11th edition of the fair is scheduled to hold from November 5 to 8, 2026 at Federal Palace, Victoria Island, Lagos.
This comes after the bank supported the landmark tenth anniversary edition in 2025, showing its continued commitment to platforms that promote African artistic excellence, preserve cultural heritage and create opportunities for emerging talents.
ART X Lagos was founded in 2016 by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig and has grown into one of the leading international cultural platforms showcasing contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Since inception, the fair has brought together artists and galleries from over 70 countries, welcoming participants from 170 nations.
The 2026 edition is themed A New Chapter, A New Decade. The theme reflects on artists, architects, educators and thinkers who shaped modernism in Nigeria and explores how cultural inheritance can inspire new artistic expression and future possibilities.
As part of its sponsorship, Zenith Bank will be supporting two major programmes at this year’s fair, ART X ICON and The Masterclass.
ART X ICON will celebrate the legacy of pioneering Nigerian potter Ladi Dosei Kwali (1925-1984) through an exhibition titled Ladi Kwali: Beyond the Vessel, conceived and developed by curator Dr Jareh Das.
Ladi Kwali, whose face appears on Nigeria’s 20 naira note, is celebrated for taking traditional Nigerian pottery to global prominence. Drawing from indigenous pottery knowledge, she developed a distinctive style that earned her international recognition.
The exhibition will bring together ceramics and archival materials from the National Museum Lagos, alongside works from private lenders. It will also feature works by women potters who worked with and after Kwali, including Kande Ushafa and Asibi Ido, as well as traditional pottery by Gbari, Nupe and Bida potters.
The Masterclass programme will place 10 emerging artists from disciplines including painting, sculpture, photography, film, textiles, digital practice, performance and ceramics in dialogue with Ladi Kwali’s legacy. The programme is designed to help young creatives learn, engage and develop their practice through intimate sessions with established practitioners.
Speaking on the partnership, Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr Adaora Umeoji, said the growth of the creative economy requires both preservation of cultural heritage and sustained investment in talents shaping its future. She noted that the bank’s partnership with ART X Lagos reflects its belief in supporting platforms that celebrate African creativity, strengthen cultural institutions and unlock economic value in the creative sector.
Founder and Director of ART X Lagos, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, said the continued support of sponsors like Zenith Bank is instrumental in sustaining the fair’s vision as it enters its second decade and creating lasting opportunities for African creativity to thrive globally.
Beyond the two programmes, ART X Lagos 2026 will feature 15 exhibitors across Main and Spotlight sections and special projects including Ndidi Dike’s Residues of Past Encounters: 2024-2026, The ART X Library and Speakers’ Corner. Other programmes include ART X Cinema, ART X Live, ART X Talks, Art Across Borders and the Schools’ Programme.
ART X Lagos 2026 will run from November 5 to 8, 2026 at Federal Palace, Lagos.
