In a bid to empower over 5,000 artists in Akwa Ibom State, the convener of The Hive 2025, Mr. Nicolas Godwin, a UK-based Nigerian filmmaker and creative artist, has made a passionate plea to the Akwa Ibom State government, through the ministry of Art and Culture to support local artists by providing grants and funds to enable them to showcase their work to the world.
The week-long event, which was held in Uyo recently, brought together artists from different sections of the art forms to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary art and also featured lectures, individual work, and collaborative projects.
Speaking to newsmen, Mr. Nicholas expressed that the goal of the Hive 2025 was to create a platform where artists can showcase their work, network, and learn from each other. “We have started with about 17 artists in Uyo and 125 in the UK, but our target is to empower over 5,000 artists by the end of 2025 through their collaborative work and learning from each other,” he added. He also solicited the Akwa Ibom state government through the ministry of art and culture and other related agencies to partner with them to create a safe space for artists to showcase themselves and their various art forms freely, as it is obtainable in other climes.
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Some of the artists and instructors that spoke with newsmen extolled the program for its innovative approach to art and its potential to bridge the gap between traditional and contemporary art. Emmanuel Nassi, one of the instructors, scored the program 9 out of 10, citing the excellent planning and execution. He added that some of the artists were so electrified while confessing that they had not seen such an event put together for them in a long while.
On his part, Mr. Aniekeme Finbarr, a journalist of repute, encouraged the artists to take their craft seriously, be confident, and promote their work themselves, as no one will do it for them. “If you do nothing, you will also become nothing,” he warned.
The Hive 2025 has therefore received glowing reviews from artists, including Uduakobong Dan and Idy Koffi, who described the program as “one in a million” and “life-changing,” while Stella Edet, a digital painter, poet, and storyteller, eulogised the program organisers for exceeding her expectations.
The high point of the event featured presentations of a one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) cash prize for the best individual project to Ukeme Isidore and a two hundred thousand naira (N200,000) cash prize for the best collaborative work to Otobong Akpan, respectively. In their separate speeches, they expressed gratitude for the opportunity by the Hive to belong to a community of artists that can freely put their work out there for the contemporary society to see the true beauty of art.
