U.S. Consulate Supports Artist Exchange Program to Celebrate 50-Year Sister Cities Partnership between Lagos and Atlanta

Funke Olaode

In commemoration of the 50-year Sister Cities partnership between Lagos and Atlanta, the U.S. Consulate General in Lagos, in collaboration with Rele Arts Foundation, has launched the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange to further deepen the artistic collaborations between the two dynamic cities.

Two Atlanta-based artists, Myra Greene and Artemus Jenkins, arrived in Lagos earlier this month for the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange residency. Greene and Jenkins have been conducting research, collaborating with local artists, and creating works that reflect the rich cultural ties between the two sister cities.

Greene, an accomplished photographer and textile artist, will showcase her work titled New Myths as part of the Afropolis Festival. Her exhibition will open on October 28 at the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Onikan. Similarly, Jenkins, a filmmaker and photographer, whose work explores the intersection of West African and African American cultures, will present a solo exhibition titled GITYUSUMPROTECTION at Angels and Muse Art Studio in Ikoyi, with an opening on October 31.

United States Consul General Will Stevens expressed the U.S. government’s commitment to supporting programs and initiatives that promote artistic expression, nurture cultural exchange, and strengthen the capacity of Nigerian artists and professionals in the creative industries. “We are excited to support the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange as it showcases the power of art to connect people and communities across the world,” U.S. Consul General Will Stevens said. “This artist exchange deepens the cultural ties between our two cities, fostering creative innovation and collaboration.”

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu expressed his support for the initiative, stating, “The Lagos-Atlanta Sister Cities partnership exemplifies the enduring bond between our two cities, symbolizing a commitment to cultural enrichment and mutual growth. This 50-year collaboration has allowed us to share our stories, celebrate our artistic heritage, and foster creative synergies that transcend borders. As we mark this significant milestone, Lagos State reaffirms its dedication to strengthening these cultural ties, which enrich both our communities and create lasting pathways for artistic innovation and connection.”

In February, the Atlanta BeltLine—a pedestrian trail connecting Atlanta’s neighborhoods—commemorated the 50-year Sister Cities partnership with the U.S. edition of the LagosAtlanta Artist Residency. The 10-week program brought Lagos-based artists Taiye Idahor and Kainebi Osahenye to Atlanta, where they immersed themselves in the city’s culture and produced new works of art that have become a centerpiece of the ongoing 2024 Art on the Atlanta BeltLine exhibition season.

The LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange and Residencies are a collaboration between Lauren Tate Baeza, Curator of African Art at the High Museum of Art; the Rele Arts Foundation; and the U.S. Consulate General Lagos with support from Delta Airlines. Through these collaborations, public exhibitions, and community engagements, the artistic connection between Lagos and Atlanta continues to thrive, enriching both cities for generations to come.

In addition to the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange, the U.S. Consulate General Lagos has helped highlight this historic Sister Cities connection through support for a two-way exchange between Lagos’ Africa Creative Market and Atlanta’s Creative Juneteenth as well as by facilitating a framework for partnership between Atlanta-based Spelman College, a leader in the education of women of African descent, and three Lagos-based universities – University of Lagos, Lagos State University, and Pan-Atlantic University. These initiatives will help to further enhance cultural and academic exchanges between these Sister Cities.

In support of this initiative, Mary Gbobaniyi, Delta Airlines’ Manager for Sales West Africa, said, “We are thrilled to support the LagosAtlanta Artist Exchange, fostering diversity, cultural exchange and artistic innovation between two vibrant cities. This partnership underscores our commitment to connecting people and cultures worldwide. By serving our customers with a non-stop service from Lagos to Atlanta, we offer an efficient and convenient option of travel. This aligns with our mission of connecting people and communities to each other and to their own potential.”

Established in 1974, the Lagos-Atlanta Sister Cities partnership has evolved into a cornerstone of cross-cultural exchange. Atlanta is home to the fifth largest Nigerian diaspora population in the United States, and this shared history has continued to deepen the bilateral people-to-people ties between both cities. From education to the arts, the Sister City partnership continues to build bridges and open doors to deeper collaboration and mutual prosperity.

Myra Greene is a contemporary photographer and textile artist interrogating the performance of identity. Her most recent work examines African textiles to explore cultural narratives imbued in fiber materials and textile processes. The Atlanta-based artist has exhibited domestically and abroad and has artworks in the permanent collections of institutions such as the Museum of Contemporary Photography in Chicago and The National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Greene is Chair of Art & Visual Culture and Photography Program Director at Spelman College.

Artemus Jenkins is a filmmaker and photographer exploring connections between West African and African American cultures through assemblage and lens-based media. The multimedia ethnographer researches parallels found in the everyday lives of people throughout the African diaspora. Jenkins directed the documentary films Heart of the City, Black Joy Manifesto, and Color Outside the Lines; and has lectured at academic institutions such as Morehouse College, the University of Illinois, Kent State University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.