Announcing its call for entries a few days ago, foundation director Azu Nwagbogu and Corporate Affairs Adviser of NB Plc, Kufre Ekanem, disclosed that the theme was chosen in line with the tradition of the yearly event aimed at challenging the creative skills of participants. While stressing the commitment of the competition in its consistency in the past seven years, Nwagbogu stated that the 8th edition is about giving artists opportunity to think outside the box into the future.
He, however, enphasised the importance of the process through which the participants arrive at a finished work via submission of entries. The literary aspect that explains how each artist arrives at a finished work, he said, will take a new dimension in the 2015 edition. “This year, we are getting experts to guide the artists in the write ups.”
In explaining the focus of the competition since its inception, Nkanem recalled that the objective was to get artists’ works relevant in the larger society outside the regular creative environment. Similarly, the 2015 edition, he assured, continues in the tradition, noting, “As usual, this year, the organising team has selected a very interesting and creative theme Future Histories, with the objective of encouraging artists to think laterally about social, political and cultural climate of their local communities while exploring their creativity.”
As in previous two editions, the prizes have not changed. Nkanem listed the three prizes: “First place winner gets N2 million and a solo exhibition and N1 million each for winners of Outstanding Concept and Outstanding Production.”
Entries for the competition, according to a member of AAF team, Wunika Muka started from June 9 and closes July 3, 2015 while a shortlist of 12 finalists is expected to be announced later. She added that “artists are to submit their entries on the website www.nationalartcompetition.org.”
Still in the regular format of the competition, “Artists Retreat”, Muka stated, holds before the Grand Finale exhibition and announcement
