BLACK MUSE FESTIVAL OPENS IN BENIN CITY

A NEW LANDMARK FOR ART AND GREEN SPACE

Benin City has reached a major milestone with the launch of the Black Muse Art Festival. The event marks the opening of a new sculpture park in Iyekogba, a project built to honor the city’s artistic heritage and bring more people into contemporary culture.

A tall bamboo tower has been rising on the site for weeks. It is now the centerpiece of the festival. The project covers 3,500 square meters. Architect James Inedu George designed the space. Artist Victor Ehikhamenor started the dream 15 years ago when he bought the land with plans for a creative hub in his hometown.

The park gives the public access to art, greenery, and cultural activity. It arrives during a major moment for the city.

The bamboo pavilion draws inspiration from ancient Benin bronze heads, traditional building methods in southern Nigeria, and local religious history. Artisans from the Osun Osogbo Grove carved the wall designs.

Ehikhamenor sees the park as part of a long tradition of Nigerian artists who built their own spaces for creation. He aims to provide a place where artists work freely and where the public experiences art in an open environment. The festival theme, Let the Forest Dance, expresses this vision.

The festival brings together artists from across West Africa. It highlights new talent from the University of Benin. The program includes school tours, readings, workshops, bronze casting demonstrations, film screenings, concerts, and performances. Everything is open to the community.

The launch signals a forward step for cultural life in Benin City. It blends art with nature and gives people a public space built for creativity and learning.