The Enchanting Plateau Art Exhibition has announced the opening of its 2026 edition, inviting artists and creatives to use their works to reflect on Plateau State’s 50-year journey and envision what the state could become over the next five decades.
The 2026 edition, themed “50 Strong, 50 Forward,” was unveiled on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at a press conference in Rayfield, Jos, where organisers announced plans for an expanded celebration of Plateau’s culture, heritage, creativity and future.
Convener of Enchanting Plateau, David Thomas, said the initiative was created to tell Plateau’s story through creative expression while providing artists and other creatives with platforms to gain visibility, develop sustainable careers and access wider opportunities.
He described Enchanting Plateau as a flagship initiative of Aweytu Creative Centre, established to promote Plateau’s artistic and cultural identity beyond its well-known landscapes and tourism attractions.
Since its launch in 2024, the exhibition has continued to expand, attracting more than 2,500 attendees, over 100 exhibiting artists and more than 350 artworks across various categories.
The initiative has also introduced art competitions for secondary school students, masterclasses and other capacity-building programmes aimed at identifying and nurturing emerging creative talent.
According to Thomas, the growth of the exhibition demonstrates the capacity of Plateau’s creative industry to contribute to cultural preservation, tourism, employment and economic development.
The 2026 edition will centre on Plateau State’s 50th anniversary, encouraging participating artists to examine the state’s past, present and future.
Artists are expected to explore themes including governance, agriculture, mining, culture and heritage, tourism, youth innovation, peace, identity, creativity and community development.
Through paintings, sculpture, photography, illustration, digital art, textiles, installations and other creative forms, participants will be challenged to tell the story of where Plateau has been, where it is today and where it should be headed.
Thomas said the exhibition is designed to go beyond entertainment by positioning art as a tool for documentation, advocacy, dialogue, transformation and economic empowerment.
He added that the long-term ambition is to position Plateau State as a leading cultural and creative destination in Nigeria and across Africa.
At the heart of the 2026 edition is a question organisers are asking artists and the wider public:
“What story will we tell when Plateau State turns 100?”
A Celebration Beyond Visual Art
The 2026 programme is expected to feature curated art exhibitions, competitions, performances, masterclasses, seminars, workshops, panel discussions and community engagement activities.
Visitors will also have opportunities to experience local crafts and cuisine as organisers seek to create an immersive celebration of Plateau’s cultural identity.
The exhibition will collaborate with Tin City Fashion Week and Experience Plateau, alongside government support and ongoing efforts to attract additional partners and sponsors.
Organisers say the partnerships will help expand the exhibition’s reach while creating more opportunities for creatives, cultural practitioners, businesses and other stakeholders.
Creative Director of Enchanting Plateau, Jerry Jallo, said the initiative was deliberately designed to bring together creatives from different disciplines rather than restrict participation to visual artists.
According to Jallo, the exhibition is built around three major components: the main visual art exhibition; seminars, workshops and masterclasses; and evening performance art exhibitions.
He explained that the evening performances are curated to create an intimate experience between artists and audiences, featuring activities such as acoustic performances and direct interaction.
Jallo said the concept allows different creative disciplines to converge and communicate through a shared platform.
From “One” to “50 Strong, 50 Forward”
Reflecting on the previous edition, themed “One,” Jallo said the exhibition explored unity and the elements that connect people across Plateau State.
Nature featured prominently in the creative direction, with rocks, vegetation and waterfalls incorporated into the event’s set design, while other elements such as balloons were used to evoke happiness, childhood memories and shared experiences.
The previous edition brought together visual artists, musicians, poets and writers, with participation from organisations including the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and the Performing Musicians Employers’ Association of Nigeria (PMAN).
Jallo described Enchanting Plateau as an umbrella platform for different forms of creative expression, designed to bring multiple artistic disciplines into one space.
He also highlighted one of the exhibition’s distinctive concepts: the exhibition itself is designed as an artwork.
This means visitors experience creativity not only through the individual works on display but also through the environment, set design, performances and overall creative direction.
For 2026, Jallo said the “50 Strong, 50 Forward” theme will shape every aspect of the exhibition, with the creative direction focused on imagining Plateau’s future.
Call for Entries Opens August 12
The official call for entries for Enchanting Plateau 2026 opens at midnight on August 12, 2026, and will close on October 25, 2026.
Interested artists and creatives are expected to submit their works through the official Enchanting Plateau website.
The exhibition is scheduled to hold in November 2026, with the exact dates to be announced by the organisers.
The call is open to painters, sculptors, photographers, illustrators, digital artists, textile artists, installation artists and creatives working across other artistic disciplines.
Organisers are encouraging creatives to use the platform to tell compelling stories about Plateau State while contributing to conversations about its future.
With its focus on Plateau’s first 50 years and the next 50, Enchanting Plateau 2026 is set to bring together art, culture, heritage, innovation and performance in a celebration of the state’s creative potential.
Ultimately, “50 Strong, 50 Forward” challenges artists to look beyond the present and imagine the Plateau State they want future generations to inherit.
