Developing a Master Plan for a National Creative Arts Village in Nigeria

Creative arts villages, which collocate artist studios, gallery spaces, educational facilities, performance venues, and commercial creative enterprises in purpose-designed environments, have proven transformative creative economy development interventions in several African countries and represent an important infrastructure model for Nigeria's creative sector. This study developed a conceptual master plan framework for a National Creative Arts Village in Nigeria, drawing on comparative analysis of the Ake Arts Village concept, Accra's Creative Arts Village, Dakar's Village des Arts, and Kenya's Kuona Trust Creative Hub. A professional planning methodology was employed, drawing on consultations with 25 stakeholders including artists, architects, planners, arts administrators, and government arts officials from across Nigeria, site feasibility analysis, and operational model review. Consultations identified six critical success factors for the Nigerian context: affordable long-term studio access for artists from all zones, mixed-use commercial revenue generation to cross-subsidise artistic accommodation, governance models ensuring artist community majority control, digital connectivity infrastructure, integration with tourism and cultural economy circuits, and geographic equity in terms of national accessibility. The master plan framework specifies space programming, governance architecture, phased development sequence, funding model, operating model, and design principles. A Federal Capital Territory site in Abuja or a satellite model with regional nodes is recommended as the most viable deployment approach. Expert review by eight urban planning and creative economy specialists confirmed the plan's professional coherence. NITDA and NCAC joint implementation responsibility is recommended.

Keywords: creative arts village, national arts infrastructure, creative economy, cultural planning, arts village design