Recently-launched Life in My City Art Foundation’s virtual bootcamp is turbocharging young talents by equipping them with the skills to thrive in a competitive industry. Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports
With the Life in My City Art Festival’s 2025 virtual Bootcamp officially underway as of Tuesday, May 6, credible testimonials confirm it has so far been a no-holds-barred, immersive experience that turbocharges young artists’ growth and takes their art to the next level. If the organisers were aiming for a game-changer, this bootcamp undoubtedly is one.
It is, after all, becoming increasingly clear that artistic ambition, raw talent, and technical skills can only take artists so far in a cutthroat artscape. Little wonder, therefore, that art bootcamps are being acknowledged as crucial stepping stones for fledgling creatives. No doubt, these intensive workshops are the real deal, offering emerging artists the insider knowledge they need to thrive, including art market savvy, packaging and presenting their work like pros, and building careers that last.
The youth-focused annual festival’s art director, Dr. Ayo Adewunmi, unveiled the thrilling details to the participants while flagging off the programme. Over the next two weeks, a dozen talented artists – evenly split between six males and six females, handpicked by the festival’s 2024 edition’s national jury – will be expertly guided by seasoned mentors. The curriculum is packed with essential topics, including ideation and creative brainstorming, crafting compelling artist biographies and statements, art photography and artwork packaging, portfolio management, social media management and marketing, and client management.
The thoughtful inclusion of bootcamps among the organisation’s latest annual programmes aligns with its 18-year-long tradition of revolutionising the Nigerian art scene with its flagship programme, the Life In My City Art Festival, which is commonly known by the acronym LIMCAF. And if the bootcamp is deemed a game-changer, it is partially thanks to its impressive lineup of facilitators. Renowned industry professionals like Jacob Onoja, Kent Onah, Ayo Aina, Chike Obeagu, Chijioke Onuorah, Klaranze Okhide, and Ngozi Omeje are expertly guiding the talented artists through what could to them be a career-defining journey.
Younger generations of artists, who have since 2007 been empowered and brought to the limelight through LIMCAF’s competitions, exhibitions, mentorship programmes, and workshops, have been its most credible legacy. With a massive reach across 17 cities and six geo-political regions, LIMCAF has impacted thousands of young creatives, nurturing their talents and setting them up for success.
That this bootcamp, which runs until May 20, is designed to propel them to new heights is evident from the sessions held so far. Then, there is also the fact that its richly-laden programme features comprehensive training in essential creative and professional skills, a collaborative learning environment for peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and brainstorming, practical strategies for navigating the art market, and measurable growth in key artistic and professional concepts. “It is hoped that after the bootcamp the artists would be sufficiently equipped for a thriving professional practice and that the knowledge gained at the bootcamp would impact other artists in their vicinity,” said Dr Adewunmi in his address.
As the latest addition to the Life in My City Art Foundation’s (LIMCAF) programmes, it draws its current participants from the foundation’s flagship programme, Nigeria’s largest and most consistent annual art event. It joins other programmes like the School Children Art Workshop, Enugu Art And Crafts Fair, LIMCAF Foundation Workshop for the Physically Challenged, Regional Exhibitions, and the Grand Finale Exhibition and Award Gala Night, with more initiatives forthcoming.
Meanwhile, the closing date (May 31) for the call for entries for LIMCAF’s 18th edition, themed “Can We Breathe?” looms. Intending participants who have registered with the non-refundable 5,000 naira participation fee should be motivated by the prospect of winning prizes in different categories, totalling over 60 million naira. These prizes fall into the following broad categories: the six LIMCAF Prizes, the Endowed Prizes, the El Anatsui International Travel Prizes, the Capacity and Expertise Development Prizes and the Consolation Prizes.
As for the top LIMCAF prize which used to be known as the Overall Winner’s Prize, it will now be known as the Elder Kalu Young Artist of the Year Prize. The winner will now take home the naira equivalent of $2,000, an appreciable increase from its last year’s value of one million naira.
The category prizes, meanwhile, have undergone a stylish revamp, with the Best in Photography prize now donning a new moniker – the Chinelo Chime Prize for Best in Photography – and a sleek price tag of one million naira. Meanwhile, stalwarts like painting, sculpture, drawing, and ceramics retain their N500,000 each. But the real excitement lies in the newcomers: the Armstrong Obialo Prize for Best entry in artwork in Wastepaper, a bold nod to innovative mediums, and the Kanyeyachukwu Tagbo Prize for Best entry by a person living with disability, a powerful statement of inclusivity.
Beneath the surface of LIMCAF’s prize structure lies a thoughtful framework that allows individuals, families, and organisations to leave a lasting legacy. Through endowments, persons, organisations, and achievements can be memorialised in a meaningful way. Notable among such endowments include the Justice Anthony Aniagolu Prize for Originality, the Dr. Pius Okigbo Prize for Technical Proficiency, and the Felicia Okoroafor prize for Most Promising female artist, each one a reflection of the individuals who have chosen to make a lasting impact.
But what is truly remarkable is the regional focus of some of these prizes. Endowed by visionary individuals, prizes like the Mfon Usoro Prize for Best entry from Uyo Centre and the VinMartins Ilo Prize for Best entry from Enugu shine a spotlight on emerging talent in specific geographic areas, encouraging young people to pursue their artistic passions and putting local creativity on the national map.
Through these and other initiatives, LIMCAF cements its status as Nigeria’s most enduring youth art competition, harnessing the transformative power of creativity to catapult young artists into the spotlight. By doing so, it empowers them to sell their works, rake in handsome prizes, and rub shoulders with art world heavyweights – scholars, gallery owners, and collectors – both locally and internationally.
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