This November, ART X Lagos marks its 10th anniversary with a landmark tenth edition — 10X — from 6–9 November 2025 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos to celebrate a decade of cultural impact, creative innovation, and global dialogue. Since its founding in 2016, the fair has become a cornerstone of Africa’s cultural calendar, attracting […]
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This November, ART X Lagos marks its 10th anniversary with a landmark tenth edition — 10X — from 6–9 November 2025 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos to celebrate a decade of cultural impact, creative innovation, and global dialogue. Since its founding in 2016, the fair has become a cornerstone of Africa’s cultural calendar, attracting artists, curators, collectors, and visitors from more than 70 countries, while cementing Lagos’ place on the global art map.
To celebrate this milestone, ART X Lagos takes over four dynamic spaces within the Federal Palace grounds — from the Balmoral Marquee to the Ballroom Marquee, the expansive Lobby, and the Waterfront Garden. Themed “Imagining Otherwise, No Matter The Tide”, the fair invites audiences to consider the power of imagination and community in shaping our shared futures.
Here are five highlights not to miss at ART X Lagos 10X Edition:
Guest engaging with artwork at Ko Gallery, 2024. Courtesy of ART X Lagos
The cornerstone of ART X Lagos is its strong gallery programme. This year features 15 curated galleries that bring together both established and emerging artists. Among the participants are: Affinity Art Gallery (Lagos, Nigeria); Afriart Gallery (Kampala, Uganda); Alexis Galleries (Lagos, Nigeria); Galerie MAM (Douala, Cameroon); Gallery 1957 (Accra, Ghana); kó (Lagos, Nigeria); Nike Art Gallery (Lagos, Nigeria); O’DA Art (Lagos, Nigeria); SMO Contemporary (Lagos, Nigeria); Tiwani Contemporary (London, UK); Wunika Mukan Gallery (Lagos, Nigeria); and Yenwa (Lagos, Nigeria). Debuting this year is the Spotlight Galleries section, which will highlight a new generation of gallerists through focused solo presentations by emerging artists. The inaugural participants include ADEGBOLA, AMG Projects, and Nomadic Art Gallery — all based in Lagos and making their ART X Lagos debut.
JD Okhai Ojeikere, Nigerian Culture Series, Portrait of Maiden Dancers, 1974. Courtesy of ART X Lagos
One of the centrepieces of this anniversary edition is the inaugural ART X ICON Exhibition, one of this year’s Special Projects. Titled “An Exacting Eye”, the exhibition presents six decades of work by the iconic Nigerian photographer J.D. ’Okhai Ojeikere. Known for his extraordinary documentation of Nigeria’s sculptural hairstyles and cultural shifts, Ojeikere’s photography is a living archive of modern Nigeria.
The programme also debuts The Masterclass, a new initiative inspired by Ojeikere’s legacy. Led by his son and archivist Amaize Ojeikere, the workshop will mentor ten emerging photographers, offering grants and a chance to publicly showcase their work. Visitors can also step into a live photography studio “Portraits of Modernity”, co-creating cultural artefacts that honour the past and anticipate the future.Interested photographers are invited to visit www.artxlagos.com to review full details and apply before Wednesday, 29 October 2025, at 11:59 PM WAT.
In addition to the ART X ICON Exhibition, ART X Lagos -10X – presents ambitious Special Projects curated by Missla Libsekal. Highlights include:
The Special Projects also feature two major sculptural installations:
Together, these works expand the fair beyond traditional art displays, creating immersive encounters that blur the lines between art, audience, and environment.
L-R Andrew Dosunmu,Tega Okiti at ART X Talks, 2024. Courtesy of ART X Lagos
The ART X Talks platform returns with a powerful lineup of artists, curators, and cultural thinkers. Speakers include: Akinbode Akinbiyi, Amaize Ojeikere, Mati Diop, alongside the talk, The Rebels and the Movement – in conversation with Bruce Onobrakpeya, Jimoh Buraimoh, Muraina Oyelami, and Nike Davies-Okundaye, presented in partnership with kó, for a rare, cross-current conversation.
In addition, the Art Across Borders programme, curated by Jumoke Sanwo, convenes six acclaimed artists — including Edson Chagas, Fatoumata Diabaté, Kudzanai Chiurai, and Camille Chedda — to explore decoloniality, belonging, and shared futures. These conversations will not only celebrate heritage but also imagine new possibilities for African art across the world.
Attendees at ART X Cinema, 2024. Courtesy of ART X Lagos
This year’s ART X Cinema, curated by Tega Okiti, brings audiences into intimate dialogue with African and diasporic storytelling. Screenings include Akinola Davies’ Cannes-selected debut feature My Father’s Shadow, alongside Mati Diop’s Dahomey and the award-winning Atlantique.
Alongside this, The Library — a Special Project — creates a participatory hub for literature and reflection. Featuring works by Bruce Onobrakpeya, rare loans from the G.A.S. Foundation Art Library, curatorial research, and select ART X Cinema programming, it offers audiences a space to engage deeply with art, history, and ideas.
Complementing this is The Speakers’ Corner — also a Special Project, curated by Fikayo Adebajo — which draws on the symbolism of the mangrove to spark dialogue on identity, resilience, and community.
Attendee choreography at ART X Live!, 2024. Courtesy of ART X Lagos
At the intersection of art and sound is ART X Live!, the fair’s electrifying performance platform. This year’s edition, curated by Lanre Masha, is themed “From the Roots” and headlined by Nigerian Highlife fusion band The Cavemen. Their signature blend of Highlife, Afrobeat, Jazz, and Soul will be joined by rising stars LLona, Braye, and Ameaya, alongside DJ Yosa, in a vibrant celebration of Africa’s evolving global sound.
Schools Programme, 2024. Courtesy of ART X Lagos
The 10th anniversary edition also expands its intergenerational outreach from Tales by Moonlight storytelling with Oluwalanu Agusto and Bruce Onobrakpeya, to hands-on workshops like the Tide Wall mural. These programmes nurture creativity in young audiences, ensuring ART X Lagos remains a festival for all.
ART X Lagos returns for its tenth edition — 10X — from 6–9 November 2025 at the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.
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