Angels and Muse has announced the inaugural Black Muse Art Festival, set to take place in Benin City, Edo State, from November 8 to 12, 2025. This landmark event marks a bold expansion of the Black Muse Residency, which began in 2024 and has already hosted nearly twenty artists, writers, curators, and cultural thinkers from across Africa and the diaspora. The festival aims to position Benin City as a vibrant epicenter of contemporary African creativity, blending tradition with innovation in a celebration of art, memory, and cultural resilience.
The theme of the festival, “Let the Forest Dance,” draws inspiration from Wole Soyinka’s iconic play A Dance of the Forests, reimagining the forest as a living archive of African heritage and a symbol of ecological and cultural continuity. Through this lens, the festival will explore how art can serve as a tool for environmental awareness, historical reflection, and social transformation. Attendees can expect a dynamic program of exhibitions, performances, workshops, and panel discussions that showcase the depth and diversity of African artistic expression.
A centerpiece of the festival will be the unveiling of the Black Muse Sculpture Park, anchored by the Ázágbà Pavilion, a striking bamboo structure designed by Architect-in-Residence James Inedu George. This architectural marvel embodies the festival’s commitment to sustainability and indigenous design, offering a space where art and nature converge. The sculpture park is envisioned as a permanent platform for showcasing contemporary African sculpture and fostering dialogue between artists and the public.
Founded by Nigerian artist and writer Victor Ehikhamenor, Angels and Muse continues to push boundaries in the African arts scene by creating spaces that nurture creativity and elevate underrepresented voices. The Black Muse Art Festival reflects this ethos, offering a transformative experience that honors Benin City’s rich cultural legacy while embracing the future of African art. As anticipation builds, the festival promises to be a defining moment for artists, thinkers, and audiences seeking to engage with Africa’s creative pulse in a deeply meaningful and immersive way.