LAGOS.- ART X Collective, the company behind West Africa’s premier international art fair ART X Lagos, has decided to postpone its 2020 edition after serious consideration of the ongoing civil unrest in Nigeria, and out of respect for the lives lost in the recent #EndSARS protests.

The decision to postpone the fair - originally scheduled for 6-15 November - was made after thorough consultation with gallerists, collectors, partners, and stakeholders. ART X Lagos’ new dates will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Tokini Peterside, Founder & CEO of ART X Collective, said: “Although we have taken the decision to postpone this year’s fair until a later date in 2020, our dedication to championing the excellence, creativity and resilience of artists from Africa and the Diaspora remains unchanged.




“2020 has been a year of awakening - from the turmoil and trauma of the #EndSARS protests sweeping across Nigeria, the ongoing pandemic being experienced around the world, and the global reckoning with centuries of inequality and violence against black bodies.

“As an organisation led and run by young people, ART X Collective stands with the activists fighting for Nigeria’s future. We are vehemently against police brutality and fully support those who are against a system that denies essential civil liberties, freedom and opportunity to its people.

“We share a vision for Nigeria’s future in which everyone can realise their fullest potential, and remain committed to providing platforms for expression, upliftment and inspiration. We look forward to a time when we will stage our fifth edition of the fair and create a space where we can come together to contemplate society’s shared demands and expectations for tomorrow and to meditate on new ideas for how our global community might move forward as one.”

Earlier this month, ART X Collective announced a new initiative for the photographers and filmmakers who have captured the #EndSARS protests. In just two days, this initiative which was earmarked for 100 artists, has received close to 1,000 applications for assistance. At the rescheduled fair, ART X Lagos intends to showcase some of the important images captured by these artists and activists. Peterside added: “We will continue to work to amplify these important artists’ voices in the coming weeks, and champion the art and creativity that can contribute tangibly to the movement for a New Nigeria.”