SATURDAY, December 20, at the Lagos office of the National Council for Arts and Culture, workers and bureaucrarts in the creative economy, will gather at the expansive compound of the National Council for Arts and Culture, located in the National Theatre complex of the National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos, to distil how Dance as a profession and vocation could c0ntribute to the national economy
On the platform of the Danse Afrikana 2025, the conference will “bring together seasoned voices and emerging leaders, united by a shared mission: to shape strategies that will transform and strengthen the Creative Economy,” stated Aremo Babatope Babayemi, the convener and MD of Different Aesthetics.
On what to expect, the Birmingham, UK-based Aremo Babayemi, listed:
• Insightful sessions led by pioneers in Arts, Culture, and Business
• Fresh perspectives from rising innovators in the creative industries
• Collaborative strategies designed to empower Artists, Entrepreneurs, and Communities
He continued, “This fusion of experience and innovation promises to ignite conversations, inspire action, and chart new pathways for sustainable growth in the Creative Economy.
The keynote speaker will be Professor Segun Ojewuyi, Professor of Theatre, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA, who will be speaking on “…the dialogue begins!”.
The speakers include:
* Dr. Yeside Dosunmu-Lawal, Senior Lecturer, Lagos State University (LASU), Dance Scholar, Choreographer, and Cultural Advocate, speaking on Training and the Artist
* Qudus Onikeku, Founder/ CEO, QDance Centre, Director, J Randle Centre for Yoruba Arts and Heritage. Topic: Providing and Managing Infrastructure for the Live Arts.
* Bimbo Esho, Managing Director, Evergreen Musical Company, speaking on: Music Publishing in Nigeria
* Oluwaseyi Ladele, speaking on Digital Music Distribution & Artist/Label Services
* Ade Adetunji, Ademeje Solicitors, speaking on Intellectual Property & Data Asset Management in Africa
Panel Chairman: Jahman Anikulapo – Culture Curator and Advocate.
Profile of Keynoter: Professor Segun Ojewuyi,
A DISINTINGUISHED international theatre director, critic, actor, and scholar whose work spans major stages across Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, North America, and the Mediterranean, Ojewuyi has directed leading works by Shakespeare, Wole Soyinka, Chekhov, August Wilson, and others at theaters such as Yale Theater, Habima Theater, Liverpool Playhouse, and the National Theatre in Lagos. A respected educator, he has taught at Yale University, Rowan University, the University of Lagos, and Southern Illinois University, where he also served as Chair and Dean. He is a cultural leadership includes organizing the landmark Muse and Mimesis symposium, creating the “WS Open Door Series,” and delivering the 2011 NICO Annual Lecture. A recipient of major honours—including the British Commonwealth Fellowship, Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship, Ford Foundation/Arts International Fellowship, and the Pittsburgh Onyx Best Theatre Director Award—he is also a Salzburg Seminar Alumnus Fellow and Fellow of Theatre Arts (FTA). Professor Ojewuyi holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Ibadan and remains a passionate advocate for Nigerian Arts and Culture.