The Growth of Visual Arts as a Motor for Empowerment in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper will focus on the development of Visual Arts in Nigeria from the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions for creation of awareness of the subject. It argues that when this is done, insight into the situation can be revealed and promoted for improved participation in art activities. Art has been relegated to the background for too long now due to misunderstanding and misconceptions of what art entails and the benefits of the subject. It is time to forcefully plant the subject as a compulsory one through such academic meetings. Visual Arts can lead to poverty reduction if properly applied and harnessed due to its creative and skill related nature. From this study, it can be deduced that graduates of art can make a living from art, and also be able to employ labour and art studios can grow beyond subsistence level of production to larger ones thereby reducing unemployment in the country. The main contribution of the paper is an emphasis on the need to introduce visual arts in schools and Colleges to increase the number of persons involved in art.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2013.v2n11p26