Ogun State Government, in partnership with Artnovation, is set to showcase African culture on the global stage at the 2026 Milan Design Week in Italy from April 22-26, 2026.

The exhibition, themed “The Rock That Remembers,” will spotlight Ogun State’s cultural heritage, tourism assets and investment opportunities, with a focus on Olumo Rock.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, speaking at the official launch of the Artnovation: AfroItalian Renaissance exhibition at the Italian Consulate in Lagos, said the collaboration is a strategic move to strengthen the state’s creative economy and deepen cultural and economic ties with Italy.

Abiodun said the state remained committed to using creativity as a tool for economic growth, job creation, tourism development and sustainable revenue generation, adding that the government’s support for arts, culture and indigenous enterprises, such as Adire, alongside the renewal of Olumo Rock, reflects its broader development agenda.

“With our partnership with the Italian Consulate in Lagos and the Creative Youth Community Development Initiative, Ogun State is positioned to lead Nigeria’s creative economy,” he said.

The governor also said that the state’s participation at Milan Design Week would improve its international visibility, open trade opportunities and encourage stronger collaboration with Italy.

Chief Curator of Artnovation, Foluke Michael, said that an exclusive VIP screening would hold on April 22 at Collegiate Milano Bovisa, Piazza Emilio Alfieri 5, Milan, while the main exhibition would run from April 23 to 26.

Michael said one of the major highlights of the programme is a special session titled “From the Rock to the World,” scheduled for April 23 at 4:00 p.m.

She said the exhibition would feature five paintings, five fashion installations, hand-painted textures and indigenous Abeokuta fabrics, including Adire, alongside Milanese lace.

According to her, the initiative is designed to connect storytelling, art, fashion and design in ways that create fresh opportunities for innovation, partnership and trade.

She said the project symbolically links Olumo Rock and the Duomo di Milano, as well as the European Renaissance and African heritage, to create new economic and cultural possibilities.

“The exhibition explores how landscapes and structures preserve memory, shape identity and inspire contemporary design,” she said.