The Arts-Muse Fair

Acceptance of entries for 2018 Olympus Global Open Photo Contest has commenced. The competition is open to every amateur and professional photographer from any country or region around the world. For the past 100 years of existence, Olympus has been recognized as a pioneer and innovator that has focused on contributing to society by making people’s lives healthier, safer and more fulfilling. Rules of Registration: Anyone who registers to enter can participate. Interested entrants should go to Enter or My Page to register. Those who entered past Olympus Global Open Photo Contests must register again. Categories: Olympus Global Open Photo Contest 2018 will feature the following six categories: Getting Outside Here an entrant can enter a photo that conveys the joy, freedom, or excitement of discovery he or she  feels when he or she is outside. Art An entrant can enter a creative photo that showcases his or her unique artistic visions. Power

Night of the Spoken Word (NSW),  the flagship poetry event of Simply Poetry Ltd, Nigeria’s foremost Performance Poetry Production company, returns to the stage in Abuja next month February after a hiatus in 2017. The show will hold on Friday, February 9, 2018 at Merit House, Maitama, beginning from 7pm. Tickets for N5000 are available for purchase at Simply Poetry Ltd’s website . Early buyers could enjoy a discount of up to 50% of ticket price. Hosted twice in a year since its debut in October 2013, the event, organised by Dike Chukwumerije’s Simply Poetry Ltd, took a break last year to allow Chukwumerije and his crew time to take a new spoken word theatre production – Made In Nigeria (MIN) – on a tour of cities around Nigeria. Since its inception five years ago the NSW has grown over the years in scope and production, featuring over 70 artistes on its stage to date.

AMAA 2018: The Africa Film Academy cordially invites filmmakers to submit their feature, short, animation and documentary works for consideration in nearly 30 categories of the awards. The deadline for all submissions is 30th January 2018; a late entry deadline is 14/2/2018. Submission is on Film Freeway and in any of the AMAA offices across the continent. Nominations will be announced on April 2018 while the 14th Edition of the AMMA Awards will be held on June 2, 2018 and televised globally. About AMAA: AMAA which is an African Celebration of film and African Filmmakers was founded in 2005. Mostly held in Nigeria, it evolved from a one day event, televised live, to an annually chronicled African event. The award aims to facilitate the development and the showcasing of the social relevance of African film and cinema. The awards are presented to recognize and honour excellence in professional filmmaking in the African film industry and the African Diaspora. Categories of Aw

Invisible Borders Trans-African project will this year embark on the 8th edition of its artistic Road Trip Project.  The Road Trip this time, will be a Trans-African one encompassing countries, towns, villages, and Trans-African highways between Lagos (Nigeria) and Maputo (Mozambique) within a period of 95 days, from August 20 to November 23, 2018. We are seeking passionate African artists (photographers, writers, filmmakers, historians, architects, dancers, performance artists, and graffiti artists) who are interested in participating in this road trip. For details of the trip and application for participation click  here

Photomicrography Competition is open to anyone with an interest in microscopy and photography. The video competition, entitled Small World in Motion encompasses any movie or digital time-lapse photography taken through the microscope. Nikon’s Small World is regarded as the leading forum for showcasing the beauty and complexity of life as seen through the light microscope. Eligibility and Rules: The Nikon Small World Competition is open to anyone with an interest in photography through the microscope. Truly international in scope, entries have been received from the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Winners have included both professionals and hobbyists. Anyone above the age of 18 years is eligible, with the exception of employees of Nikon, their families, the contest judges, and individuals engaged in the manufacture or sale of microscopes, related accessories or photographic equipment. F

By Marjaan Sadiq. Marjaan Sadiq was at Nigeria’s foremost writers’ residency, the Ebedi, Iseyin, Oyo state between November and December last year. Here, she writes of her experiences at Ebedi, of the things in her head and the memories in her heart. On the road to Ibadan, I wonder what Iseyin will look like. I let my mind travel ahead of my body. I have always done that; let my imagination traverse the earth, go to places in my head, see things. Sometimes these images that are a part of my mental creation overwhelm me. Sometimes the greenery of acres of unused lands in my head make me crave to be on the road, the antiquated beauty of historical attractions make me hunger to be somewhere new, yet ancient, somewhere I can connect with the people of old. Alas, the lands are not so green, and historical places have been soiled with bits of technological advancements such that you are reminded that you're of the present, not the past. I have learned to understand that things

By NANA SULE Maryam used to like the market. It had colors, and people, and food. Something about the smell of daddawa was all it took sometimes to send her to the market. Other times, she just wanted to find a veil, or a wrapper. Or on some other days when Habeeb was away, when no one would ask why she loved the market so, she would throw a gown over her body, and a veil over her head. And drive to the market. There, she would, in no particular order, wander from shop to shop, haggling prices and eyeing wares she would not purchase. She would then return home, exhausted. These days, she did not enjoy the market as much. As her stomach expanded with the life Habeeb had put in there, she found the best spot in the world was on her bed. Although Habeeb was not one to encourage her to go to the market on normal days, whenever he did come around, he would start at her. You should be taking walks, he would say. You shouldn’t spend all your days in bed, go to the market sef,