The Enchanting Plateau Art Exhibition has officially announced its 2026 edition, inviting artists and creatives to use their works to celebrate Plateau State’s 50-year journey while imagining the kind of state future generations could inherit over the next five decades.
The 2026 edition, themed “100″ 50 Strong, 50 Forward,” was unveiled on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, during a press conference held in Rayfield, Jos.
The exhibition, organised by Aweytu Creative Centre, seeks to celebrate Plateau’s culture, heritage and creativity while providing a platform for artists to gain visibility, build sustainable careers and connect with wider opportunities.
Convener of Enchanting Plateau, David Thomas, said the initiative was established to tell Plateau State’s story through creative expression and demonstrate the role of the creative sector in cultural preservation, tourism, employment and economic development.
According to Thomas, Enchanting Plateau has grown significantly since its launch in 2024, attracting more than 2,500 attendees, featuring over 100 exhibiting artists and showcasing more than 350 artworks across various categories.
He added that the initiative has also supported young creatives through secondary school art competitions, masterclasses and other capacity-building programmes.
The central focus of the 2026 edition is Plateau State’s 50th anniversary, with artists expected to explore the state’s past, present realities and future aspirations.
Participants are encouraged to interpret issues surrounding leadership and governance, agriculture, mining, culture and heritage, tourism, youth innovation, peace, identity, creativity and community development.
The works may include paintings, sculptures, photography, illustrations, digital art, textiles, installations and other creative forms.
Thomas said the exhibition would go beyond entertainment by using art as a tool for documentation, advocacy, dialogue, transformation and economic empowerment.
He said the long-term ambition is to position Plateau State as a leading cultural and creative destination in Nigeria and across Africa.
The organisers have consequently posed a central question for the 2026 edition:
“What story will we tell when Plateau State turns 100?”
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 part of efforts to create an immersive celebration of Plateau’s cultural identity.
The organisers are collaborating with Tin City Fashion Week and Experience Plateau, while also receiving government support and pursuing additional partnerships and sponsorships.
The partnerships, according to the organisers, are expected to expand the reach of the exhibition while creating opportunities for creatives, cultural practitioners, businesses and other stakeholders.
Creative Director of Enchanting Plateau, Jerry Jallo, said the initiative was deliberately structured to accommodate creatives across different disciplines rather than focus solely on visual artists.
Jallo explained that the event is built around three major components: the main visual art exhibition, seminars/workshops and masterclasses, and evening performance art exhibitions.
He said the evening performances are carefully curated to create an intimate experience for both artists and audiences, featuring acoustic presentations and opportunities for direct interaction.
According to him, the concept allows different creative disciplines to converge and communicate through a shared platform.
Reflecting on the previous edition, which was themed “One,” Jallo said the concept explored unity and the elements that connect people across Plateau State.
Nature played a major role in the creative direction, with rocks, vegetation and waterfalls incorporated into the event’s set design, while other visual elements such as balloons were used to evoke happiness, childhood memories and shared experiences.
The previous exhibition 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 diverse creative expressions, designed to bring different artistic disciplines into one creative space.
He also noted that one of the exhibition’s distinctive features is that the exhibition itself is designed as an artwork.
He explained that visitors are expected to experience creativity not only through the individual artworks on display but also through the environment, set design, performances and overall creative direction.
For the 2026 edition, Jallo said the theme “100” 50 Strong, 50 Forward would influence every aspect of the exhibition, with the creative direction focused on presenting a vision of Plateau State’s future.
Call for Entries Opens August 12
The official call for entries for Enchanting Plateau 2026 will open at midnight on August 12, 2026, and 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 opportunity to tell compelling stories about Plateau State and contribute to conversations about its future.
With its focus on Plateau’s 50-year journey and aspirations for the next 50 years, Enchanting Plateau 2026 is set to bring together art, culture, heritage, innovation and performance in a celebration of the creative potential of the state.
Ultimately, “100″ 50 Strong, 50 Forward challenges artists to look beyond the present and imagine the Plateau State they want future generations to inherit.
