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Bank opens ‘Centenary Art Challenge’ competition

By Eniola Daniel
04 June 2017   |   3:43 am
At Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos, the bank announced the competition as ‘Centenary Art Challenge’ to embrace art as a medium of contributing to the next 100 years of Union Bank.

Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank Plc, Emeka Emuwa (left); Lola Cardoso; Kolade Oshinowo and president, Guild of Professional Artists of Nigeria (GFA), Segun Adejumo… in Lagos

Artists from across Nigeria have been offered an opportunity to interpret a new concept for Union Bank’s Stallion logo. At Mydrim Gallery, Ikoyi, Lagos, the bank announced the competition as ‘Centenary Art Challenge’ to embrace art as a medium of contributing to the next 100 years of Union Bank. As a leading financial institution, Union Bank is currently celebrating its centenary.

Union Bank’s ‘Centenary Art Challenge’ competition is designed to promote the work of professional and young Nigerian artists around the country. Guests, including artists and patrons such as master painter, Kolade Oshinowo, Duke Asidere, Olu Ajayi, Gerry Nnubia, Sinmidele Adesanya, Kehinde Sanwo, Dapo Adeniyi and Jumoke Sanwo, were in attendance at the launch of the competition. Being organised in partnership with One Draw Gallery, the ‘Centenary Art Challenge,’ according to Mr Segun Adejumo, has been endorsed by the Guild of Professional Fine Artists of Nigeria (GFA). In 2015, Union Bank redesigned the stallion to reflect a more agile and energetic institution following its transformation.

Holding from June to September 2017, the competition’s entries will be accepted across the country in various regions and a distinguished panel will shortlist the final 100 works, which will compete at the finale, the organisers stated. “Monetary prizes will be awarded to the finalists and the ultimate winners will receive N1 million in the professional category and N250,000 in the student category,” Adejumo, who is also the president of GFA stated.

While speaking at the launch, Chief Executive Officer, Union Bank Plc, Emeka Emuwa said: “Union Bank has a storied history in Nigeria and our 100th anniversary is a unique opportunity to tell our story to different audiences. Artists are storytellers and this competition presents an opportunity for this community to help us tell our story from the vantage of our iconic white stallion. We are excited to celebrate the many stories that will come across through the works that will be entered in the competition.”

Head of Corporate Affairs and Corporate Communication, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem said, “Talent development is one of our social responsibility areas and this competition is another initiative for Union Bank to impact in this area. We strongly believe that through the arts we can spur creativity and innovation in young people.”

In his analysis of the vibrancy of Nigerian art scene, Adejumo noted that artists in the country are contributing to the economy, arguing that Union Bank has made the right choice in identifying with Nigerian artists’ efforts in contributing to the image of the bank ahead of the next century.

The bank is marking its centenary in three broad areas: Celebrate, Impact and Lead. In April the bank also announced the ‘Union Bank Centenary Innovation Challenge,’ as a nationwide competition to find and support young entrepreneurs developing sustainable business solutions to solve social problems in Nigeria.

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