Institutional Approaches to Career Longevity of Visual Artist

This thesis seeks to examine the existing initiatives put in place by cultural organizations in facilitating the effective transition and sustenance of progressive career pathways for emerging visual artists within the creative industry. Specifically, it explores how cultural organizations interact with these emerging artists and the crucial role they play in enabling access to the art market. The study also considers the challenges that emerging visual artists face in maintaining a successful and progressive career trajectory. The central research question guiding this study is "What role do cultural organizations play in supporting emerging visual artists within Nigeria's art market?" To address this question, the thesis analyzes how cultural organizations are perceived, their roles as gatekeepers, the challenges often encountered by emerging visual artists, and the support and guidance available for navigating the evolving West African art market. While academic research provides ample evidence of the importance of relationships between cultural organizations and visual artists in creative industries globally, there is limited explanation of how these relationships function within the Nigerian context, particularly for emerging visual artists. Therefore, this study adopts an exploratory approach to investigate the outcomes of such interactions. To achieve this, thirteen interviews were conducted with gallery owners, curators, managers, directors, and art professionals. The findings reveal that most galleries in Lagos, key cultural organizations in the Nigerian art scene primarily focus on showcasing and representing established and veteran artists. Their limited engagement with emerging artists is largely driven by the need to safeguard their own sustainability, especially in light of the country's challenging economic climate. However, over the past decade, some galleries have slowly shifted focus by integrating programs aimed at increasing inclusivity for emerging visual artists. Despite these efforts, the challenges remain substantial. The increasing number of young artists entering the industry poses financial burdens, with limited return on investment compared to the profitability of established artists. Participants also noted that collectors tend to prioritize key components of quality in artworks, which many emerging artists fall short of. Furthermore, the advent of social media has contributed to a culture where many young artists pursue quick sales at the expense of developing essential professional and management skills. Although some galleries have confirmed the existence of initiatives aimed at supporting emerging visual artists; these efforts are insufficient to meet the demands of the rapidly growing artist population. Ultimately, while the thesis presents evidence of interactions between galleries and emerging artists; these relationships are not always advantageous to the latter. Nevertheless, this study offers valuable academic insights that can inform future, more detailed research into the West African art market and its evolving institutional dynamics.