The Lagos creative sector is set to get a boost as the Lagos State Government collaborates with Inscribe Art to launch the Lagos Street Art Festival 2025, aiming to utilise vibrant murals to enhance tourism and foster civic pride.

The organisers of the LSAF, Inscribe Art, at a press conference held at Ndubuisi Kanu Park in Alausa, Lagos, on Wednesday, noted that the festival, with the theme Legendary Lagos: City of Dreams, would be more than a creative showcase; “it’s a movement, a project by artists, for artists, and for the people of Lagos.”

“This is about tourism and capacity building. Major cities around the world, like Berlin, Miami and Sao Paulo, have used street art to attract visitors and develop their creative sectors. So, as part of this festival, we’re bringing international artists to Lagos to work alongside our artists here in Nigeria,” explained Karishma Daryani-Chugani, a member of the LSAF founding council.

The General Manager of LASPARK, Adetoun Popoola, added that the festival was designed to promote tourism and culture in Lagos State. “The murals incorporated in the park tie into LSAF. Murals are for everyone and accessible to all,” she mentioned.

The organisers explained that the festival, which runs from 25 November to 10 December 2025, will feature a series of events, including story walls, public art painting, workshops, the OSA 7 x 10 exhibition, fireside chats and artist talks, designed to connect people through creativity, storytelling and shared experience.

The festival is co-led by two visionary creatives: Osa Okunkpolor, known as Osa Seven, a renowned visual artist and co-founder of Inscribe Art, and Akinlabi Akinbulumo, widely recognised as Phisha, the creative director and co-founder of Inscribe Art.

Akinbulumo said, “Art shouldn’t live only in galleries; it should live in the city. From street walls to school walls, every Lagosian deserves to experience art that reflects who they are and where they come from.”

For Okunkpolor, the festival represented more than beautification; it’s a movement of pride and possibility. “It’s about empowering people because even if their art isn’t in a gallery, they still deserve the chance to showcase their work,” he asserted.

LSAF founding council member, Adaora Mbelu, highlighted the importance of democratising creative expression: “The goal is to democratise art. Art is not limited to galleries or to a specific calibre of people; it should live in the public domain and be accessible to all.”

Marketing Partner of Berger Paints, Oluwatomi Ikenye, said that art is not a luxury; it is a means of promoting education, mental health, community and identity. “Internally, we have looked at this and seen that this is something we want to be part of because, as a brand, we have contributed to the architectural and cultural transformation of Nigeria. So, it is only natural for us to be part of this cultural movement,” Ikenye said.

The Managing Director of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, Fatiu Akiolu, concluded that the role of the agency is to regulate and enhance the city’s visual environment.