The 10th Lagos Book & Art Festival held more excitement than usual this year for the many school children who took part in ‘Lagos on my mind’ – a workshop on graffiti and mural art organised by the British Council in conjunction with Dream Arts and Design Agency.

The street art project, which ran from 29 October to 8 November, is a new, hands-on initiative incorporated into the Book & Art Festival, and, judging by its recent success, is likely to be an ongoing one.

Olamipo Bello, project co-ordinator of Connected Africa Arts at British Council Nigeria, says, ‘Graffiti is not a popular art form in Nigeria, so the workshop was designed to open the children’s eyes to something new. It was a success.

‘They were told what graffiti is and given a brief history of how the art form started as a means of expression,’ Vello continues. ‘The children were very excited when they were taught how to use a spray can.’

The workshop was conducted by graffiti artists selected from WaPi (Words and Pictures), a British Council initiative that allows up-and-coming artists in any medium to talk about and draw attention to issues of concern to them – social, political and economic. It is a platform for underground artists to meet and compete and show what they can do.

WaPi was launched in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2006 and now operates in Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Sierra Leone too. Artists are not only given the opportunity to be seen and heard – they are given an education, as they are put in touch with professionals who can share information about their industry.

Held monthly at British Council offices, WaPi provides an opportunity for record labels and fashion houses to spot new artists and uncover fresh talent.

By sharing their talents with the children of Lagos, the graffiti artists selected at the latest WaPi event held in Nigeria made the Lagos Book & Art Festival more than an initiative to develop reading culture – they made it an education in self-expression.

If you would like any further information about the arts in Nigeria, please contact British Council Nigeria. Visit the Dream Arts and Design Agency website to learn more about their work. To read more about British Council events and programmes, please visit this page. Read our latest news here: News in Africa section.