Àsìkò Art School forms part of CCA Lagos – Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos. The innovative programme was launched in 2010 with the aim of bridging the gap in the educational system in Nigeria and other African countries.

The course comprises a 30-day programme dedicated partly to technique but primarily to methodology, critical thinking, and the implementation of conceptual ideas. The programme is aimed at people interested in thinking through the conception and execution of their work, as well as artists who are curious and interested in experimenting with different modes of practice, transcending traditional methods without totally excluding them.

After two programmes in Lagos, On Independence and the Ambivalence of Promise (2010) as well as History/Materiality in 2012, for the first time the initiative took on an itinerant character by moving to other West African countries (Accra, Ghana in 2013 and Dakar, Senegal in 2014) as a way of continuously engaging with the rest of the continent. In 2015, the programme continued its itinerary by moving across the continent for the first time to engage with southern and eastern African contexts and with the history and culture of a lusophone country, Mozambique. As part of its core programme, Àsìkò includes the curatorial lab, which has become an integral component of the initiative. Begun in 2012 in response to an urgent need for more curators on the continent, the participants are encouraged to develop their research methodologies and critical writing skills as well as engage closely with artists in the programme from across the continent and with experienced art professionals from around the world. 

www.asikoartschool.org