Nigeria's LIMCAF festival showcases emerging Lagos artists

The Lagos regional exhibition of the Life in My City Art Festival (LIMCAF) opened on July 25, 2026 at the Thought Pyramid Art Centre in Ikoyi. The event, declared open by artistic director Dr Ayo Adewunmi and coordinated by Okechukwu Eze, featured works by artists under 35, with paintings dominating alongside photographs and sculptures.

LIMCAF’s nationwide selection process this year received 830 submissions across 18 centres. From the Lagos show, eight works advanced toward a shortlist of 100 that will be displayed at the grand finale in Enugu from October 24‑31, 2026, with winners announced on October 31. The festival, approaching its 20th anniversary, runs under the theme “Open Letter,” encouraging reflections on existential choice, personal agency and community‑driven social change. A prize pool exceeding N50 million underscores the competition’s growing ambition.

Since its inception in 2007, LIMCAF has become a key platform for discovering and promoting young Nigerian visual artists, interrupted only in 2020 by the COVID‑19 pandemic.