CCA Lagos Reopens After Sotheby’s $1 Million Lifeline

CCA Reopens After Sotheby’s $1 Million Lifeline

By Adeshina Timothy 

CCA Lagos experienced a major setback in 2022, after its abrupt closure. Three years later, after undergoing progressive and rigorous gentrification, CCA Lagos has reopened, with an exceptional group exhibition tagged ‘Archives and Memories.’

The exhibition show is said to honour the legacy of its founder and pioneering curator, Bisi Silva, whose significant contribution in contemporary African Art has served as a groundbreaking game-changer in the African Art industry.
The 2025 long-awaiting exhibition show which thrilled culture and arts enthusiasts with creative and superb artworks serve as grand comeback of CCA Lagos. The landmark reopening also coincides with the sixth anniversary of the passing of Bisi Silva, who founded the center and whose legacy continues to inspire the global art community.

Featuring outstanding works of phenomenal Nigerian artists, including Ndidi Dike, Ngozi-Omeje Ezema, Odun Orimolade, Taiye Idahor, Temitayo Ogunbiyi, and Wura-Natasha Ogunji—alongside selections from Silva’s curatorial archive, CCA mesmerized its audience with the beauty of culture and ambience of arts.
Curated by Favour Ritaro, ‘Archives and Memories’ offers an emotional homage  to Silva’s enduring influence on contemporary African art. Archives and Memories serves as both a celebration of Bisi Silva’s achievements and a reflection on the ways archives shape our understanding of the past and present.

Founded in 2007 by Silva, within a short period, CCA Lagos gained prominence CCA and became a vital institution in the global art ecosystem. Known for its innovative programming and excellent exhibitions, it niched a space for artists, curators, and scholars to engage with contemporary art practices from Africa and the diaspora.
In 2022, a Sotheby’s benefit auction raised over $1 million to support the center’s rehabilitation. The funds have enabled a comprehensive transformation of the facility at 9 McEwen Street in Sabo, Yaba.
The artistic and executive director of CCA Lagos, Oyindamola Faithful disclosed that the renovations are part of a three-phase plan aimed at strengthening the institution’s role as a cultural hub.

“Our goal is to open across three phases, with Phase 1 this February,” Oyinda Faithful. “These upgrades not only enhance the visitor experience but also allow us to deepen our engagement with the vibrant artistic networks around us, particularly the University of Lagos and Yaba College of Technology.”

For Oyinda Faithful and her team, the reopening is both a celebration of Silva’s legacy and a testament to the resilience of Nigeria’s art community.