ART X Lagos wrapped its milestone tenth edition over the weekend, delivering its most ambitious fair yet and reaffirming its place as West Africa’s leading international art event. Held from November 6–9 at the Federal Palace in Lagos, the anniversary edition — themed “Imagining Otherwise, No Matter the Tide” — drew record numbers of collectors, cultural figures, and global audiences.
The Opening Ceremony on November 7 welcomed notable dignitaries including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, Hannatu Musa Musawa; Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier; and leading private-sector partners such as Atedo Peterside, Jim Ovia, Stephen Kauma, Bolaji Balogun and Olumide Oyetan. Founder and Chairman, Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, reflected on the fair’s decade-long journey, noting that ART X Lagos “stands both rooted and reaching… building boldly, with ambition and purpose.”
Across four expansive locations within the Federal Palace grounds, the fair featured 15 galleries from across Africa and the diaspora, alongside the debut Spotlight Galleries section for emerging spaces. Special Projects curated by Missla Libsekal stood out, including Nengi Omuku’s External Realities, Internal Geographies sponsored by Chapel Hill Denham, and Temitayo Ogunbiyi’s participatory installation WHERE THERE IS LIFE, THERE IS HOPE.
The inaugural ART X ICON exhibition dedicated to J.D. ’Okhai Ojeikere, sponsored by Zenith Bank, unfolded across three locations and will remain open to the public until December 31. Other highlights included ART X Live!, ART X Cinema, The Library, Speakers’ Corner, and extensive educational programming that welcomed over 750 schoolchildren.
