Over the past decade, ART X Lagos has evolved from a pioneering art fair into a transformative cultural catalyst — celebrating creativity and innovation across the continent.
Founded with the vision to reinforce the African identity & showcase our excellence, ART X Lagos has:
- Welcomed 700,000+ visitors (online and in-person) from over 170 countries.
- Showcased 500+ leading artists from at least 70 countries.
- Featured global icons such as El Anatsui, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Yinka Shonibare CBE, and many more.
- Earned global media coverage reaching over 3.5 billion people
- Anchored Lagos’ art week as the place to be in West Africa’s creative and cultural capital.
Its ecosystem of programmes — ART X Live!, ART X Talks, ART X Cinema, the ART X Prize, and the Development Forum — extends art beyond galleries, fostering youth engagement, education, and creative entrepreneurship.
Through initiatives like Art Across Borders and Resonance, ART X Lagos bridges Africa and the global art world, affirming the continent as a central, not peripheral, force in global culture.
Beyond statistics, its impact is reflected in voices — artists, curators, and audiences who attest to how the fair has transformed careers, communities, and the cultural economy of Lagos.
“This is a fair that has succeeded in transforming the futures of both artists and collectors. It has had an unmeasurable economic regenerative effect, and it has increased exponentially the cultural capital of Lagos. ” — Yinka Shonibare CBE, Artist, Founder GAS Foundation
“ART X Lagos has been nothing short of transformative. Over the last decade, I’ve witnessed the fair reignite both local and regional interest in Lagos as a critical creative hub.” — Wale Lawal, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, The Republic
“ART X has become a new cultural language for Africa that is contemporary, rooted and resolutely forward looking” — Maria Varnava, Founder & Director Tiwani Contemporary
At its heart, ART X Lagos champions inclusion, access, and sustainability — from bringing children from underserved schools into art spaces in our Schools’ Programme, to fostering environmental and social consciousness within the creative sector.
As it enters its second decade, ART X Lagos aims to deepen its impact:
- Strengthening global collaborations and local ecosystems.
- Empowering the next generation of artists and curators.
- Cementing Lagos’ status as one of the world’s great cultural capitals.
In our tenth year, and beyond, ART X Lagos remains a platform for bold voices, a catalyst for cultural and economic transformation, and a testament to Africa’s creative power shaping the world.
Download the Impact Report here.