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Supporting LIMCAF…. Hope shines from Lion House

By Margaret Mwantok
12 June 2016   |   4:25 am
Recently, the Trustees of the Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) paid a courtesy visit on governor ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at his Lion House office in Enugu during which he was briefed about LIMCAF...
Elder K.U Kalu,

Elder K.U Kalu

Recently, the Trustees of the Life In My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) paid a courtesy visit on Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at his Lion House office in Enugu during which he was briefed about LIMCAF and its achievements so far.

According to the team led by the chairman, Elder K.U Kalu, LIMCAF is not just a youth empowerment project, but also a burgeoning national and international art and culture tourism destination and therefore a future source of significant contribution to the GDP of Enugu State and Nigeria.

In the team were, Chief Loretta Aniagolu a member of the Governor’s Economic Advisory Team, Principal Partner, FIT Consult; Dr. Obiora Anidi, Chairman of the State Council for Arts and Culture; Ayo Adewunmi, Art Director of the Festival; Mr. Tayo Adenaike, CEO Artsaels Ltd; Mr Chuka Orji who, is the son and representative of the Founder of Life In My City, Chief Robert Orji and Mr Kevin Ejiofor, former Director General, Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria (FRCN), who is now LIMCAF Executive Director. The 2016 edition Ejiofor said, would be the 10th Anniversary of the Festival, and past winners, donors and other invited guests were expected.

The governor was informed that some past winners were significantly advancing their careers in various ways. Such winners include Mr. Olamide Oresegun the Festival’s first overall winner in 2007, who was recently featured on CNN and Ngozi Omeje, a PhD student at the University of Nigeria who, won the Nigerian Breweries National Art Competition.

Also, Ejiofor noted that LIMCAF was now seeking a working partnership with the Institute of Management and Technology Enugu, renowned for its great contribution to the development of young artists in visual arts, to become the intellectual home of the Festival, as it seeks to deepen and broaden its impact on contemporary art locally and internationally.

“The competition is always open to young artists below the age of 35, and many contestants have come from schools and private studios in Lagos, Enugu, Abuja, Auchi, Uyo, Ibadan, Kaduna, and Port Harcourt among others,” he said.

Adding that, “The Festival has also hosted some very high profile art personalities in its panel of judges including professors of art in institutions across Africa, Internationally renowned gallery operators, contemporary art scholars and promoters, high profile studio artists, such as Jerry Buhari, Chike Aniakor, Kunle Filani, Bisi Silva, Frank Ugiomoh, Ayo Aina, Muhammed Muazu, Tony Okpe, Obiora Anidi, Nsikka Essien and Jacob Jari.”

“There have also been academic papers and other such contributions during some of the earlier editions of the Festival by highly learned academics including Pita Ejiofor, Ola Oloidi, Chike Aniakor and Chris Ikwuemesi, with external support from Obiora Udechukwu, Mor Faye (Senegal) and Akwele Suma-Glory (Ghana) among others.

Ejiofo disclosed that, Photo Africa contest for young African photo artists under 35 years of age was added to the Festival’s portfolio in 2012 and has since attracted entries from not less than 18 African countries with jurors drawn from Nigeria, South Africa, Australia including photography experts, Tam Fiofori, Timipre Amah, James Iroha, Emeka Egwuibe, Piere Duffour (France), Margie MacClelland (Australia), and John Fleetwood (South Africa).

“But perhaps the most interesting development in recent years is the endowment of prizes by prominent families, individuals and institutions including the Justice Anthony Aniagolu prize, the Pius Okigbo Prize, the Centre for Contemporary Art prize, the Mfon Usoro Prize, and the Thought Pyramid Art Gallery Prize among others,” said.
Governor Ugwuanyi expressed delight over the Festival and the fact that such a private initiative was active in the State. He asked the Trustees to keep him informed about the progress of their preparations for the 2016 special anniversary edition, which, is billed to come to a climax on Saturday, October 29, 2016.

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