Goethe-Institut Nigeria has officially launched its groundbreaking art initiative, “Connecting the Dots,” with a vision to enhance community engagement with public museums in Nigeria.
This ambitious project, spanning from 2023 to 2025, aims to create an enriching experience for art enthusiasts by establishing a young scholars museum fellowship programme, a museum conversation series, and a youth education programme, according to a statement.
Supported by The Ford Foundation, “Connecting the Dots” has garnered the participation of six prestigious Nigerian museums: Slave History Museum in Calabar, National Museum in Kaduna, Benin City National Museum, CRIMMD Photo History Museum in Lagos, Colonial History Museum in Aba and the Natural History Museum at OAU, Ile-Ife.
This collaboration represents a significant step towards fostering engagement, education, and appreciation of both historical and contemporary art across Nigeria.
The Three Pillars of “Connecting the Dots
- Museum Fellowship Programme: The heart of the project lies in the Museum Fellowship Programme, which will critically engage scholars and researchers with Nigerian museum content. The fellows will conduct research focusing on contemporary topics such as democracy, African traditional leadership systems, gender, generational differences, justice, and social cohesion. The program aims to produce knowledge that explores the museum’s content in a fresh, thought-provoking light.
- Museum Conversation Series: To encourage dialogue and promote artistic collaboration, the project will host a Museum Conversation Series at the six participating museums. This series will invite artists to engage with museum collections, grounding their work in extensive research. The goal is to foster a deeper connection between artists and historical artifacts, breathing new life into the creative process.
- Youth Education Program: Emphasising the importance of young voices, the Youth Education Programme will invite the younger generation to express their interpretations of culturally significant symbols, heritage, and artefacts. The programme encourages young people to share their personal connections and perspectives, offering insights into the significance of these objects within their cultures and lives.
Call for Fellows:
As part of “Connecting the Dots,” Goethe-Institut Nigeria, in partnership with the Ford Foundation and Nigerian museum partners, announces a Call for Fellows. Artists, art researchers, archaeologists, architects, social researchers, writers, journalists, historians, and cultural producers are invited to apply for the museum fellowship programme. Six young scholars and researchers from within Nigeria and abroad will be selected to study at selected museums and produce knowledge that addresses critical aspects of the museum’s content. The program aims to tackle contemporary challenges facing Nigeria and contribute to the role of museums in addressing key national development issues.
For more information and application details, interested candidates can visit the Goethe-Institut website.
About Goethe-Institut Nigeria:
As the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global reach, Goethe-Institut promotes knowledge of the German language abroad and fosters international cultural cooperation. The organisation provides comprehensive insights into Germany’s cultural, social, and political life, further enriching the global cultural landscape.
With “Connecting the Dots,” Goethe-Institut Nigeria and its esteemed partners aim to open new avenues for artistic expression and strengthen the ties between Nigerian communities and their rich cultural heritage. The project promises to be a transformative journey, empowering both the younger generation and established scholars to explore the intersections of art, history, and contemporary society within the vibrant Nigerian museum landscape.
Fore enquiries email: tobi.idowu.extern@goethe.de and the link to the goethe site below; https://www.goethe.de/
