AS artists and other resource professionals in the visual art professional converge on the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos for Art Entrepreneural Workshop, which holds from May to 9, 2011, the initiator and multimedia artist, Peju Layiwola has assured that the project would not undermine the academic value in art teaching.Also, the co-organisers and sponsored, Omoba Yemisi Adedoyin Art Foundation (OYASAF), explained that the project is coming at a time when it is imperative for the private sector to participate in art development. The founder, Engr. Yemisi Shyllon noted that that the potential abound for artists after training, as well as the challenges ahead led to OYASAFs support of the project.Layiwola, who is of the Creative Department of UNILAG argued that the enterprenurial skill is not new to the schools curriculum, rather this has not been properly articulated in the past. The more exposure the students get through contacts with the professionals in gathering such as the workshop, the better prepared they are. She cited an example: if I were to go back to school, I would prefer ceramic; I realized after school that materials for ceramic are much compared to others. L;ayiwola stated that though workshops have been organized in the past by the department which had input from professionals outside the school, the 2011 edition, she said, is the first focusing entrepreneurial skills. Resource persons are drawn from various aspects of sub-disciplines of the visual arts, she said. Some of these resource persons are: Kathleen Stafford, Peter Akinwunmi, Sam Ovraiti and Ariyo Oguntimehin.She noted that the workshop will emphasize the teaching of participants skills, to impart on the life of artist after training so that they can then produce affordable, sellable and market-driven art. Areas such as Repousse, Watercolour, Pastel painting, Ceramics/Jewellery and Printmaking.Some of the processes to be taught will include craft procedures that could be translated into critical artistic statements for the future.About 100 students, are expected to participate in the workshop. The organizers said participants are expected to attend the hands-on workshop, students of tertiary institutions within the Lagos area. Certificate of Participation will be made available for all participants and prizes will be awarded for the best work in each category.In the last two years OYASAF has been supporting art education such as fellowship for scholars, particularly at international scale. Last year, a South African scholar, Ms. Nomusa Makhubu, courtesy of OYASAF Graduate Fellowship explored the link between Nigerian art and popular culture.The program is promoted for the benefit of scholars from anywhere in the globe of non-Nigerian origin for research on Nigerian art and culture.Also, OYASAF had awarded Research Fellowships to William Ian Bourland, of the University of Chicago; Janine Sytsma, of the University of Wisconsin and Carmen De Michele of Ludwigs-Maximilians University ofMunich.Four years old, OYASAF has iniated several art promotion related programmes. Few months ago, the debut edition of OYASAF Photography Competition and exhibition was held as winners were awarded prizes.subsequent events, the organisers said, would hold every October 1 with five prizes at stake with prizes of N150, 000, N100, 000 and 50, 000 will be given to the top three winners while fourth and fifth prizes get: (Best Portraiture) First Photo Printer Grade I and Best Cultural Display Shot) Photo Printer Grade II.
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