The Lagos State Government is set to partner with Africa Film Academy (AFA), a premier organisation that trains and supports creativity across Africa, to train over 600 creative practitioners in the State.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. (Mrs.) Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, disclosed this at a recent joint press briefing with the Founder and CEO of Africa Film Academy (AFA), Peace Anyiam-Osigwe (MFR) in Lagos.
She explained that the training was designed as a skill set programme for the Creative Industry to further enhance the talents in the industry by training 600 practitioners under the Lagos State Creative Industry (LACI) initiative of the Ministry.
Akinbile-Yussuf stated that LACI was formed to further reposition the Lagos State creative sector to develop tourism, arts, and culture for optimal impact, noting that the initiative was also created to showcase Lagos State to the world while addressing skills deficiency in the creative industry.
Her words: “We are using the Creative Sector to expand the very concept of tourism as a whole, driving a shift from conventional models of heritage-based cultural tourism to new models of creative tourism centred on contemporary creativity, innovation and intangible content”
The Commissioner said that the vision of LACI is to use the State’s rich natural resources, diverse culture and heritage to promote the sustainable development of tourism as a viable sector of the economy that would enhance, promote and preserve the richness, quality and unique features of Lagos.
“We are also leveraging on the potentials in the creative sector to stimulate economic growth and job creation, support innovation and entrepreneurship, aid urban and rural regeneration, and stimulate exports”, she added.
Maintaining that the capacity building initiative will further increase opportunities in both the tourism and creative industries, Akinbile-Yussuf affirmed that Lagos still remains the Creative Capital for Entertainment, Culture and Tourism in Africa.
She gave an assurance that the Sanwo-Olu administration will leverage the partnership with Africa Film Academy, a renowned movie award organiser in Africa with 17 years of record of excellence in cinema, to further bridge the skill gap in the State’s Creative Industry.
In her remarks, Peace Anyiam-Osigwe noted that Africa Film Academy (AFA) will bring on board its years of experience to train the participants and make them job-ready.
She further explained that participants will be taught using a hands-on, in-service training approach for them to acquire knowledge to thrive in the industry.
In her words: “This training programme is in line with our organisation’s flagship project ‘100 Film Project’, which is aimed at training, supporting and providing jobs for young creative individuals across Africa”.
“Therefore, as an organisation, we will leverage our previous experience, which has seen us train over 10,000 participants across different cities in Africa in over two decades. Thus, participants will have the opportunity to learn from our faculties, who are industry experts and professionals, throughout their training period”, she stated.
The Africa Film Academy will be conducting a six-week free intensive training on Acting, Art Directing, Light and Lighting, Sound Production and Post Production in Alimosho, Badagry and Epe, representing the three Senatorial Districts of Lagos State.
The required qualification for participation includes a minimum of Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) for the Directing class.
Interested applicants from Alimosho, who must have a passion for creativity and a valid LASSRA number, are invited to register online via: https://www.africafilmacademy.com/film-in-a-box-lagos between 2nd June and 10th June, 2022 as the flag-off is scheduled for 8th June, 2022, while classes will commence on June 10, 2022, for the first set of intakes.
Online registration of applicants in Badagry and Epe will, however, take place between 10th June and 30th June, 2022.