2024 Venice Biennale: MOWAA, The Republic presents The Nigerian Imaginary Cover Art Contest worth N1million

The Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), organizers of the Nigeria Pavilion at Venice Biennale 2024 have collaborated with The Republic magazine to organize The Nigerian Imaginary Cover Art Contest.

The magazine’s next issue will spotlight Nigeria’s exhibition at the 2024 Venice Biennale as its cover will be the winning entry from the contest. Creative artists are urged to enter the contest to design the cover and win the grand prize of N1 million.

The theme ‘Nigeria Imaginary’, is the title of the exhibition which the Nigerian Pavillion will showcase at the 2024 Venice Biennale featuring Nigerian and Nigeria-diasporic artists which includes Tunji Adeniyi-Jones, Ndidi Dike, Onyeka Igwe, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Abraham Oghobase, Precious Okoyomon, Yinka Shonibare and Fatimah Tuggar. The exhibition is curated by Aindrea Emelife (Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, MOWAA).

The big picture

Nigeria’s pavilion at the 2024 Venice Biennale will mark the second time Nigeria has ever participated in the global art event and the pavilion has been commissioned by Godwin Obaseki, the governor of Edo State, on behalf of Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Art, Culture and the Creative Economy, with MOWAA as its official organiser.

Eligibility for The Nigerian Imaginary Cover Art Contest

The Nigerian Imaginary Cover Art Contest is open to young, emerging and experienced Nigerian artists (illustrators, painters, draughtsmen etc.) aged 18 or older and are located anywhere in the world.

The artist will use their drawing, painting and/or illustration skills to make a cover that can represent this significant moment in Nigerian art history. The winning entry will therefore show evidence of having studied previous Republic covers and a distinct and authoritative artistic voice.

Competition Opens: 8 a.m. West African Time (“WAT”) on March 21, 2024.

Deadline: 23:59 WAT (11:59PM) 5th April, 2024.

Prize money: The sponsors will award a cash prize of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira) to the winner and the winner will be notified on or about April 5, 2024, via email.

Submission Guidelines: Each entrant may submit only one illustration. Illustrations must be original works created by the entrant. Submissions must be in line with the following requirements:

Dimensions: A4 with provisions for bleed
Image Quality: 250-300ppi
File Format: PNG or JPG/JPEG (The Winner will be contacted for an editable file format upon selection)
File Size: Maximum of 60MB
Naming Format: LastName_FirstName_TheRepublic_Cover2024

Entries must adhere to the theme provided by the sponsors for the specific issue.

For any questions, email at art@republic.com.ng.