Lagos, Nigeria — ART X Lagos, West Africa’s leading international art fair and one of the most influential platforms for contemporary African art, returns for its landmark tenth edition from November 6–9, 2025. This milestone edition, aptly titled 10X, marks a decade of shaping global perspectives on African creativity, celebrating artistic innovation, and redefining Lagos as a pulsating centre for contemporary culture. Since its founding in 2016 by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, the fair has become a cultural beacon, drawing galleries and collectors from across Africa, Europe, and the Americas, and serving as a vibrant meeting point for artists and audiences worldwide. This year’s edition not only celebrates the past but also charts new pathways for the future with an expanded programme, new exhibition spaces, and the unveiling of the fair’s first-ever Impact Report.
Under the theme “Imagining Otherwise, No Matter The Tide,” ART X Lagos 2025 explores the power of imagination to shape collective futures in complex urban landscapes. The theme, led by Founder and Chairman Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, challenges artists, thinkers, and audiences to consider how creativity can influence healthier, more equitable cities. In a statement, Peterside-Schwebig reflected, “Our tenth edition marks an important milestone and offers a moment to reflect on how Nigeria’s art scene has evolved since we began. From the outset, our vision was to champion how African creativity is seen, celebrated, and valued.” She added that the 10X theme centres on possibility and community, emphasizing how shared imagination can build the cities and societies of tomorrow.
The fair’s tenth anniversary expands beyond its traditional footprint to occupy four dynamic spaces within the Federal Palace grounds — the Balmoral Marquee, Federal Palace Ballroom Marquee, Federal Palace Lobby, and the Waterfront Garden. This ambitious multi-venue approach mirrors ART X Lagos’ evolution over the past decade: from a single marquee event to a multi-sensory experience that merges art, design, sound, and storytelling. Fifteen galleries will exhibit in the 2025 edition, featuring both established and emerging voices from across Africa and its diaspora. The main section includes notable names such as Gallery 1957 (Accra), kó (Lagos), Tiwani Contemporary (London), and Afriart Gallery (Kampala). The newly introduced Spotlight Galleries section highlights a new generation of exhibitors — ADEGBOLA, AMG Projects, and Nomadic Art Gallery — all debuting at the fair with bold solo presentations.
A standout of the 2025 edition is the ART X ICON exhibition, “An Exacting Eye,” dedicated to the legendary Nigerian photographer J.D. ’Okhai Ojeikere, whose work has long defined the visual lexicon of Nigerian modernity. Sponsored by Zenith Bank and curated by Missla Libsekal, the exhibition offers an extraordinary look at six decades of Ojeikere’s practice, capturing Nigeria’s social evolution through meticulous photography. Extending this homage, The Masterclass invites ten young photographers to engage with Ojeikere’s archival methods, led by his son, Amaize Ojeikere. This mentorship initiative culminates in three grant awards, reinforcing ART X Lagos’ deep commitment to nurturing the next generation of African artists.
Beyond exhibitions, ART X Lagos 10X amplifies its cultural reach through site-specific installations that challenge spatial boundaries and encourage collective reflection. At the fair’s entrance, acclaimed sculptor Sokari Douglas Camp CBE presents Asoebi, a monumental steel sculpture transforming the traditional Yoruba textile into a statement on unity and resilience. Meanwhile, Dennis Osadebe’s MASS (Devotion) at the Waterfront Garden reinterprets communal spirituality through futuristic design, positioning Lagos’ waterfront as a symbolic space for contemplation and connection. Together, these installations articulate the fair’s vision of art as an anchor for social dialogue and shared belonging.
Complementing the visual programming is The Library, a participatory space for reading, conversation, and reflection. Sponsored by Stanbic IBTC Pensions, this installation features works by Bruce Onobrakpeya, materials from the G.A.S. Foundation Art Library, and curated texts that bridge art and literature. Within this contemplative space, audiences can also experience ART X Cinema, curated by Tega Okiti, which presents powerful African and diasporic narratives through film. The lineup includes My Father’s Shadow (2025) by Akinola Davies, Dahomey (2024) by Mati Diop, and Atlantique (2019), offering cinematic reflections on identity, migration, and collective memory.
Music remains central to ART X Lagos’ multidisciplinary vision. This year’s ART X Live!, curated by Lanre Masha and sponsored by EnjoyCorp, is themed From the Roots and will be headlined by The Cavemen, the Nigerian highlife fusion band that bridges generations with their genre-defying sound. They will be joined by performers LLona, Braye, and Ameaya, celebrating the evolution of African music from local beginnings to global acclaim. Through rhythm and performance, ART X Live! embodies the fair’s commitment to collaboration and innovation, where sound becomes another form of storytelling.
Adding depth to the discourse, ART X Talks continues as one of the continent’s most important platforms for critical dialogue. The 2025 edition will feature thought leaders such as Akinbode Akinbiyi, Amaize Ojeikere, Mati Diop, and the revered collective The Rebels and the Movement, in conversation with Nigerian art pioneers Bruce Onobrakpeya, Jimoh Buraimoh, Muraina Oyelami, and Nike Davies-Okundaye. Presented in partnership with kó Gallery, these sessions promise rare intergenerational dialogues that trace the trajectory of Nigerian modernism while envisioning art’s role in Africa’s contemporary future.
In partnership with Afreximbank, Art Across Borders, curated by Jumoke Sanwo, returns for its fifth edition, featuring acclaimed mid-career artists including Edson Chagas, Mário Macilau, Fatoumata Diabaté, Nicène Kossentini, Kudzanai Chiurai, and Camille Chedda. Their works explore decoloniality, belonging, and shared futures, underscoring ART X Lagos’ commitment to transcending geographical and ideological boundaries. Through these cross-continental exchanges, the fair continues to expand Africa’s creative footprint across the world.
To mark its tenth year, ART X Lagos introduced Resonance, a residency initiative developed with the Embassy of France in Nigeria and Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris. The inaugural fellows — Mobolaji Ogunrosoye, Olorunfemi Adewuyi, and Tony Agbapuonwu — will each embark on three-month residencies in Paris, continuing the fair’s long-standing mission to create opportunities for cross-cultural artistic development. Alongside this, educational programmes such as The Development Forum and Schools’ Programme sustain the fair’s dedication to inspiring younger generations and fostering an inclusive creative ecosystem.
ART X Lagos’ 10X edition also embraces intergenerational participation through Kids at ART X Lagos, a creative hub designed for children and families. Programmes such as Tales by Moonlight — hosted by Oluwalanu Agusto and Bruce Onobrakpeya — connect young audiences with storytelling traditions, while The Tide Wall encourages children to leave their artistic imprints on a communal mural. The initiative reflects the fair’s vision of art as a lifelong dialogue that begins with curiosity and play. By extending the fair’s reach to all ages, ART X Lagos reaffirms its belief that creativity belongs to everyone.
Over ten transformative years, ART X Lagos has evolved from a pioneering idea into a cultural powerhouse that anchors Lagos on the global art map. Through consistent innovation, strategic partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, it has reshaped perceptions of African art, building bridges between continents and generations. As the fair prepares to open its doors for its tenth edition at the Federal Palace, it stands not only as a celebration of art but also as a symbol of what collective imagination can achieve when anchored in vision and community. ART X Lagos 10X is more than an art fair — it is a testament to a decade of redefining Africa’s place in the global cultural conversation.
