Arts Administration and Grant Writing: Accessing Cultural Funding for Theatre Projects in Nigeria

This study examines the professional practice of arts administration and grant writing in the Nigerian theatre sector, investigating how theatre organisations access cultural funding from national and international sources. The sustainability of theatre projects in Nigeria depends significantly on the ability of arts administrators to identify, apply for, and successfully manage grants from government agencies, foundations, and development organisations. The research assesses the grant writing capacity, funding landscape, and reporting practices of selected theatre companies and individual practitioners across four geopolitical zones. Data were collected through interviews with arts administrators, grant programme officers, and practitioner-recipients of cultural grants, supplemented by analysis of funding application documents and grant reports. The study finds that most Nigerian theatre organisations lack dedicated arts administration personnel with formal grant writing training, reducing their competitiveness in national and international funding competitions. Successful grant recipients consistently cite professional writing skills, clear theory of change articulation, and strong project documentation as critical success factors. The research concludes that building grant writing capacity within the Nigerian theatre sector is a priority for financial sustainability. It recommends tailored arts administration training programmes focusing on cultural funding access. Keywords: arts administration, grant writing, cultural funding, Nigerian theatre, sustainability.