ART X Lagos returns from 5 to 8 November 2026 at the Federal Palace, Lagos, for its 11th edition, unveiling the theme A New Chapter, A New Decade. Through this year’s programme, West Africa’s leading international art fair will explore cultural inheritance, transformation, and new possibilities for contemporary art in Africa and its diaspora.
Founded by Tokini Peterside-Schwebig in 2016, ART X Lagos has grown into a global destination for contemporary African art and culture. Over the past decade, the fair has attracted artists and galleries from more than 70 countries, while participants have come from 170 nations worldwide.
Following its landmark tenth-anniversary edition, 10X, the fair now enters its second decade. This milestone also introduces a programme examining how cultural histories can inspire new artistic expressions and shape the future.
ART X Lagos 2026 Explores Cultural Heritage and Transformation
The theme, A New Chapter, A New Decade, draws inspiration from the artists, architects, educators, and thinkers who shaped modernism in Nigeria.
During a period when foreign ideas were often valued above local histories and traditions, these cultural pioneers turned to their own heritage for knowledge and inspiration. Rather than simply returning to the past, however, they transformed inherited traditions into new forms that reflected their contemporary realities.
This approach raises a central question for ART X Lagos 2026: How can the histories that shape us help move us forward?
To explore this question, the 2026 programme connects past and present, tradition and contemporary practice, and local knowledge and international exchange. It also creates opportunities for established artists and emerging creative voices to engage with one another.
Tokini Peterside-Schwebig on ART X Lagos’ Second Decade
Tokini Peterside-Schwebig, Founder and Director of ART X Lagos, said:
“As ART X Lagos begins its second decade, we are thinking deeply about what it means to move forward while remaining connected to the histories, knowledge and cultural traditions that have shaped us.
“The generation that shaped modernism in Nigeria showed us that looking to our past does not mean standing still. They drew from what they inherited and transformed it into new forms of expression that spoke powerfully to their present.
“A New Chapter, A New Decade asks what that same spirit can mean for us today. This year, we honour the mastery of artists and cultural practitioners who turn inheritance into new forms of expression, while creating bridges between generations, disciplines and geographies.
“More than an art fair, we want ART X Lagos to be a space where we can recover what has shaped us, encounter a more confident sense of self and place, and from there, imagine new possibilities for what comes next.”
Key Highlights of ART X Lagos 2026
The 2026 edition will feature 15 exhibitors across its Main and Spotlight sections. In addition to gallery presentations, visitors can explore exhibitions, installations, film screenings, live performances, panel discussions, and educational initiatives.
Among the highlights are ART X ICON: Ladi Kwali: Beyond the Vessel and Ndidi Dike’s Residues of Past Encounters, 2024–2026. Furthermore, the programme includes ART X Cinema, ART X Live!, ART X Talks, Art Across Borders, RESONANCE, the Schools’ Programme, and The ART X Library.
ART X Lagos 2026 Features 15 Galleries Across Two Sections
ART X Lagos 2026 will bring together 15 exhibitors presenting established and emerging artistic voices from Africa and its diaspora. Through its two exhibition sections, the fair will showcase a range of creative practices and perspectives.
Main Section Galleries
The Main Section will feature 12 galleries from Nigeria, Uganda, Ghana, and the United Kingdom:
- Affinity Art Gallery, Nigeria
- Afriart Gallery, Uganda
- Alexis Galleries, Nigeria
- AMG Projects, Nigeria
- Gallery 1957, Ghana
- kó, Nigeria
- Kokopelli Gallery, Nigeria
- Nike Art Gallery, Nigeria
- O’DA Art, Nigeria
- SMO Contemporary Art, Nigeria
- TAFETA, United Kingdom
- Yenwa, Nigeria
Spotlight Section Galleries
Meanwhile, the Spotlight Section will feature three Nigerian galleries: Adegbola Gallery, Nomadic Art Gallery, and Windsor Gallery.
Designed to support emerging galleries, this section provides a platform for focused presentations. As a result, visitors can discover new artistic perspectives alongside works by more established practitioners.
ART X ICON Presents Ladi Kwali: Beyond the Vessel
Sponsored by Zenith Bank, this year’s ART X ICON exhibition celebrates pioneering Nigerian potter Ladi Dosei Kwali (1925–1984).
Curator Dr Jareh Das conceived and developed Ladi Kwali: Beyond the Vessel, bringing together ceramics and archival materials from the National Museum in Lagos, alongside works from private lenders.
Beyond familiar narratives about Kwali’s practice, the exhibition examines her artistic legacy and the traditions she inherited. It also considers how she transformed those traditions and influenced subsequent generations.
In addition to Kwali’s ceramics, the presentation will feature works by women potters who worked alongside or after her, including Kande Ushafa and Asibi Ido. Traditional pottery by Gbari, Nupe, and Bida potters will also feature in the exhibition.
Together, these works explore the relationship between craft and art, gender and access, and the knowledge passed between generations of makers.
ART X ICON Masterclass Opens Opportunities for Emerging Artists
As an extension of the exhibition, the ART X ICON Masterclass will place emerging artists in dialogue with Kwali’s legacy.
The programme welcomes practitioners across painting, sculpture, photography, film, textiles, digital practice, performance, ceramics, and other visual art disciplines. From these applicants, 10 emerging artists will be selected for an intensive learning experience at the fair.
Participants will also engage in intimate conversations and workshops with leading figures in African art. Interested practitioners can visit artxlagos.com for full application details and must apply before 26 October 2026 at 11:59 p.m. WAT.
ART X Lagos 2026 Special Projects Explore History and Collective Memory
Beyond traditional exhibition formats, ART X Lagos’ Special Projects programme features installations and participatory experiences that connect cultural history with contemporary life.
Ndidi Dike’s Residues of Past Encounters, 2024–2026
Sponsored by Chapel Hill Denham and curated by N’Goné Fall, Ndidi Dike’s Residues of Past Encounters, 2024–2026, examines the continuing impact of displacement, memory, and historical encounters.
At the centre of the installation is the weathered wreck of a capsized canoe, referencing the history of Badagry’s Point of No Return. Meanwhile, suspended fabric and a mirrored surface connect histories of loss and displacement with contemporary realities.
Through these elements, the work invites visitors to consider how historical experiences continue to shape the present.
The ART X Library Encourages Shared Knowledge
Sponsored by Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers and curated by Missla Libsekal, The ART X Library will provide a participatory space for visitors to explore knowledge and resources through the 2026 theme.
Rather than functioning as a static installation, the library encourages active engagement with its resources. In doing so, it emphasises shared access to knowledge as a means of cultural transformation and collective growth.
Speakers’ Corner Becomes Moving Parts
For the 2026 edition, Speakers’ Corner will become Moving Parts, an immersive sound and image installation by artist and producer Yinka Bernie. The project is co-curated by Papa Omotayo and Fikayo Adebajo.
Inspired by Lagos’ pedestrian bridges, where strangers briefly share the same path, the installation explores connections between people, places, histories, and future possibilities. In this way, it reflects the broader theme of bridging generations and experiences.
ART X Cinema Brings Film Into the Fair
ART X Cinema will adopt a new format in 2026. Instead of occupying a dedicated screening space, moving-image works will appear throughout the fair, allowing film to complement exhibitions and deepen the stories being told.
The programme will also feature Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Joel ‘Kachi Benson’s Mothers of Chibok (2024), accompanied by a conversation with the director.
Additionally, more moving-image presentations will be announced ahead of the fair, including a documentary exploring the life and legacy of Ladi Kwali.
ART X Live! Returns With Music and Visual Art
Sponsored by Champion and curated by Lanre Masha, ART X Live! returns as the fair’s flagship music and visual art platform.
Through an experimental live experience, the programme will bring together emerging and established young creatives from across Africa. It will also explore the connections between music, visual art, and contemporary culture.
ART X Talks Examines Contemporary African Art
ART X Talks will return with conversations exploring ideas shaping contemporary art in Africa and its diaspora.
This year’s discussions will examine Ladi Kwali’s enduring legacy, Ndidi Dike’s Residues of Past Encounters, and Joel Kachi Benson’s Mothers of Chibok. Other conversations will take place across the fair, offering further perspectives on contemporary artistic practice.
Over the years, the platform has welcomed influential voices including El Anatsui, Njideka Akunyili-Crosby, Nike Davies-Okundaye, Ibrahim Mahama, Wangechi Mutu, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Yinka Shonibare CBE, and Hank Willis Thomas.
Art Across Borders Presents Walkers with the Dawn
Sponsored by Afreximbank, Art Across Borders returns with Walkers with the Dawn, a programme exploring how African artists can create value collectively.
The 2026 presentation brings together six artists from five African regions and the Caribbean. Rather than focusing solely on individual artistic production, it highlights practitioners whose studios also function as workshops, farms, schools, and residencies.
Through these collaborative environments, the programme examines how creative practices can generate new forms of artistic, cultural, and social value.
RESONANCE Supports Nigerian Creatives Through Paris Residencies
Following its launch in 2025, RESONANCE continues its partnership between ART X Lagos, Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, and the French Embassy in Nigeria / Institut Français du Nigeria.
The annual initiative supports Nigeria-based visual artists, designers, and curators through three-month residencies in Paris. During these placements, participants receive mentorship, institutional support, professional networking opportunities, and access to international creative exchange.
The selected participants for the 2026 edition are:
- Sada Ibrahim Malumfashi, Curator
- Timilehin Emmanuel Osanyintolu, Visual Artist
- Orinayo Ayotemi Odubawo, Designer
ART X Lagos Schools’ Programme Celebrates Ladi Kwali
Sponsored by ZTL Liquids Transfer, the ART X Lagos Schools’ Programme continues the fair’s commitment to arts education.
Conceived with multidisciplinary artist and educator Tolulope Ami-Williams and organised in partnership with Teach For Nigeria, this year’s initiative draws inspiration from Ladi Kwali’s artistic practice.
In particular, the programme explores how everyday vessels can become carriers of identity, memory, and imagination. Through creative learning activities, students will have opportunities to engage with art, cultural heritage, and artistic expression.
Kids at ART X Lagos Offers Interactive Art Experiences
ART X Lagos will welcome younger audiences through dedicated family programming designed to encourage curiosity, creativity, and engagement with art.
One of the planned activities is a participatory installation where children and other visitors shape coils of clay by hand. Together, they will contribute to an evolving collective artwork inspired by Kwali’s practice.
In addition, the programme will feature guided Kids’ Tours and other interactive experiences. These activities will introduce younger visitors to contemporary art while encouraging them to explore their own creativity.
ART X Lagos 2026 Dates, Venue and Sponsors
ART X Lagos 2026 will take place from 5–8 November 2026 at the Federal Palace, Lagos, Nigeria.
The 11th edition is sponsored by Zenith Bank, Afreximbank, AnapJets, Chapel Hill Denham, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, Champion, and ZTL Liquids Transfer.
As the fair enters its second decade, ART X Lagos 2026 places cultural inheritance at the centre of its vision for the future. Ultimately, the programme brings together artists, galleries, filmmakers, musicians, educators, and audiences to explore how the past can inspire new creative possibilities.
