ART IN NIGERIA

The performing arts industry in nigeria today is largely profit oriented and focuses on ‘celebrating the celebrity’. This leaves a `vacuum’ for the young, upcoming artistes who have raw talent but nowhere to develop it.
At present there is only one other performing art school in nigeria today and its focus is classical music. Also quite expensive, it is not readily available to people of low socio-economic status.

Span on the other hand targets both upper and lower class citizens. Money raised from paid classes is ploughed back into teaching the less privileged for free. This is presently not known to be done by any other institution in nigeria today. Not only are people from underserved communities educated and trained for free in the art form of their choice, they are also trained on how to manage their work so that it provides a means of livelihood for them and their families

Span educates young talented individuals in the three main genres of the performing arts – dance, music and theatre and also promotes the visual arts.
It is of note that span is the first institution in nigeria to offer professional dance training in ballet, hiphop, jazz, latin and ballroom dance styles.

OUR ARTISTIC STATEMENT

Art is deeply rooted in the african culture and it has become a tool of self expression. The african people are known to have very rich cultural and artistic expressions that have shaped the artistic world for centuries especially in the areas of dance, music, drama and visual art.

We at span take pride of our african art and we embrace it wholeheartedly. We are committed to supporting the preservation of nigerian performing art works as a language that engages gifted artists. To educate our generation with appropriate skills and techniques that can provide them with a profession, enhance our humanity and facilitate the continuity of nigerian art, which though not spoken by everyone, seems to be understood and appreciated by all.

Our artistic statement is our view of art and artists and how we work together.

1.     We believe in art that transforms and revolutionizes our mindsets pushing the spectator to redefine and rethink his/ her own assumptions about art, identity, society, values etc.

2.     We encourage artists to use their work to explore and push the boundaries of art expression in our environment, challenging our children and youth to seek beyond their current artistic practice and parameters.

3.     African art always carries with it a message. It is not ’empty entertainment’, and we are committed to support art that can become a `light and hope’ to the world.

4.     We believe in artists and their work from all nations, that speak love through the arts with no discrimination of age, ethnicity, race or gender.

5.     We believe in art that awakens the imagination and the creativity of artists, giving them a sense of direction and causing them to realize there is a need for them to be socially involved in the progress and building of their communities and their nation.

The performing arts industry in nigeria today is largely profit oriented and focuses on ‘celebrating the celebrity’. This leaves a `vacuum’ for the young, upcoming artistes who have raw talent but nowhere to develop it.
At present there is only one other performing art school in nigeria today and its focus is classical music. Also quite expensive, it is not readily available to people of low socio-economic status.

Span on the other hand targets both upper and lower class citizens. Money raised from paid classes is ploughed back into teaching the less privileged for free. This is presently not known to be done by any other institution in nigeria today. Not only are people from underserved communities educated and trained for free in the art form of their choice, they are also trained on how to manage their work so that it provides a means of livelihood for them and their families

Span educates young talented individuals in the three main genres of the performing arts – dance, music and theatre and also promotes the visual arts.
It is of note that span is the first institution in nigeria to offer professional dance training in ballet, hiphop, jazz, latin and ballroom dance styles.

                                              Our artistic statement

Art is deeply rooted in the african culture and it has become a tool of self expression. The african people are known to have very rich cultural and artistic expressions that have shaped the artistic world for centuries especially in the areas of dance, music, drama and visual art.

We at span take pride of our african art and we embrace it wholeheartedly. We are committed to supporting the preservation of nigerian performing art works as a language that engages gifted artists. To educate our generation with appropriate skills and techniques that can provide them with a profession, enhance our humanity and facilitate the continuity of nigerian art, which though not spoken by everyone, seems to be understood and appreciated by all.

Our artistic statement is our view of art and artists and how we work together.
1.    We believe in art that transforms and revolutionizes our mindsets pushing the spectator to redefine and rethink his/ her own assumptions about art, identity, society, values etc.
2.    We encourage artists to use their work to explore and push the boundaries of art expression in our environment, challenging our children and youth to seek beyond their current artistic practice and parameters.
3.    African art always carries with it a message. It is not ’empty entertainment’, and we are committed to support art that can become a `light and hope’ to the world.
4.    We believe in artists and their work from all nations, that speak love through the arts with no discrimination of age, ethnicity, race or gender.

5.    We believe in art that awakens the imagination and the creativity of artists, giving them a sense of direction and causing them to realize there is a need for them to be socially involved in the progress and building of their communities and their nation.