A-ARTs: 'ArtMiabo 2025 to converge art, tech, commerce, investment'

Founder of AMIAF, Miabo Enyadike. File Pic: c/o AMIAF.

MARKETING, which is widely considered as the missing link in contemporary art appreciation space of artists in Africa, gets attention as ArtMiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF) heads for its 2025 edition. Ahead of the event, A-ARTs spoke with founder of AMIAF, Miabo Enyadike on the Artconomy: 2025: Redefining the Global Art Marketplace theme of the festival.

AMIAF holds in April 29-May 1, and April 30-May 2, 2025, at J.K. in Lagos, and FCT, Abuja, respectively.

After three editions, how would you rate the responses of artists and the general art loving public on ArtMiabo International Art Festival (AMIAF)?

Thanks for the question, the response has been fantastic, AMIAF prides itself as a boutique festival that basically represents the unrepresented artists and creates an avenue that presents them to the world in a unique fashion, through intense advertising and media exposure and we set the tone for the art topic or subject that exhibitions tend to use or follow after the festival. That's how I have rate our success.

There is no denying the fact that AMIAF is basically about providing windows for artists to sell their art. Are there any other benefits that artists get after showing at AMIAF?

The artists themselves will tell you the number one benefit is exposure to more clients and increased participation in exhibitions, we are the benchmark for a curated exhibition that is primarily about commerce and recognition of themed Art and Artists.

In the 2025 edition themed Artconomy 2025: Redefining the Global Art Marketplace", what exactly is the focus of AMIAF?

As you know, AMIAF is founded by an international fine artist. What is playing out now is art used as a formal tool of communication through AI technology, as art is part of any developed country’s GDP. The success of the creative industry in Nigeria is one that is a topic in the creative and art community around the world and we as fine artists need to tap into that and get that same recognition. Our objectives are more broad, with economic target for 2025:

-Redefine the global art market with innovative digital art, interactive AI-driven installations, and workshops on NFTs and blockchain.

-Showcase African artists and tech creators at an international level.

-Connect commerce and creativity to foster sustainable growth.

-Drive investment opportunities in the Nigerian and African art sectors.

-Celebrate Nigeria's role as a rising global art hub, aligned with Lagos’s reputation as Africa’s leading economic and cultural capital.

We intend to create an art, tech, commerce and investment summit within the ethos of the festival.

Every edition of AMIAF has come with awards. This 2025 edition has three awardees. How did the awardees merit the awards?

This year’s Awards reflects the theme of the festival as usual. Chief Mrs Nike Okundaye, Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters and Yusuf Durodola have been well vetted. The decision is made purely on merit; awards not paid for. We take a lot of time to vet these awardees based on their contributions to the particular aspect of Art that reflects the AMIAF 2025 theme. Chief Nike Okundaye owns the biggest private Art gallery in Africa, with well over 10,000 works of art in the gallery. She sells art on behalf of artists. Her gallery is not just a museum, but also runs as a business. She supports artists, she applies herself both as a professional artist and an international ‘Artpreneur’ in a way that is inspirational to young artists, art collectors, culture observers and the creative community. She understands the culture and has a relentless ability to remind us in very clear terms that Art might be aesthetics, but it is an economic power and asset.

Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters is one who has intentionally used the 7 marketing Ps to change how art and culture is viewed in Nigeria. She has done it gracefully. She has Produced, Packaged, Priced, Positioned, Placed, Physical evidence and Processed the Nigerian art and culture into an authentic and attractive product that looks good anywhere. That's Terra Kulture, privately owned for over 20 years now it's been one success story after another and we applaud that. This is a brief definition of her career as art custodian, though a lawyer by profession.

As the CEO and founder of Terra Kulture Nigeria – the nation’s first privately-owned centre of Arts – Bolanle’s journey from law to full-time art stewardship has been widely acknowledged. Her impact in Nigeria’s creative industry is extensive — establishing an organization that supports artists, preserves Nigerian literature, and curates art exhibitions and auctions, as well as championing Nigerian culture through film, performance art, and culinary experiences.

Bolanle’s visionary approach has consistently positioned Nigeria as a significant creative presence on the global stage. Her unwavering commitment to excellence is evident in all she undertakes, making her an indisputable choice for this recognition.

Yusuf Durodola is a young upcoming arteconomist. He has built a career for himself in a way that is inspirational to watch. He puts himself through academic practice, also school working as an artist. He has a Guinness Book world record, and right now he is working on many fronts as an art educator, mentor, curator, art adviser, workshop convener and AMIAF Curator for three editions. His ability to apply his craft in a seamless way, understanding the importance of an artist being on top of his game, is pure genius. For every AMIAF exhibition, the entire creative processes and pricing is determined by Durodola. His accurate placement and positioning of the artworks to reflect the theme of each of the festivals cannot be overlooked as it has led to record sales in all the festivals.

With the 2025 edition of AMIAF holding in Lagos and Abuja, unprecedentedly, how do you hope to make it truly nationwide participation of artists?

The plans are underway, working behind the scenes on logistics is a huge barrier. We only hope we get the appropriate funding to make it happen. Right now it is all hands on deck.

Most large scale exhibitions such as art fairs, festivals, art expos etc do get artists or representing art galleries to pay for booths. How has AMIAF been sustaining the event for the three editions without asking exhibiting artists to pay for booths?

We do ask artists to pay for booths, but they come short. I am a fine artist who has owned several art galleries in the past. I understand that the business is not a fun project. It is in my DNA, so I understand the mind of the artists. They will pay for an exhibition or festival they perceive has a big name player in it. We are new to the scene, and most artists or galleries are observing for now. I treat the AMIAF festival more like a gallery owned business. It is simple: you don’t pay to put your artwork in a gallery that represents you. What the gallery does is house artists' works and sell it to their clients, with a commission fee of course. What AMIAF does is apply the same principle on a large scale for 3-5 days, we show and sell through a Popup gallery format that it happens to be a festival. We run a very small and tight operation as we are flexible and understand negotiations with the location. We have the artists list and we have a robust client list, and above all we spend more of our resources on paid adverts for the artists and their works.

We create a business plan for each festival's theme that acts as a guide and we work closely with experts for each festival theme, extending incentives that are game changing to their careers. The artists know it and we know it. We understand the ground game, it is about selling works of Art to a targeted demography.

How self-reflection inspired olusola's watercolour