The Influence of Social Media on Emerging Visual Artists in Lagos

The proliferation of social media platforms has transformed the landscape of artistic practice, exhibition, and market access for emerging visual artists globally, with particularly significant implications in a creatively vibrant but infrastructure-constrained environment like Lagos. This study examines how social media platforms including Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter influence the creative practice, audience reach, and commercial outcomes of emerging visual artists operating in Lagos, Nigeria's South West commercial capital. A descriptive survey design is employed, with primary data collected from 200 artists aged 18 to 35 through online and in-person questionnaires administered across art hubs, studios, and gallery spaces in Surulere, Yaba, and Victoria Island. The study assesses the platforms used, frequency and content of posts, audience engagement metrics, sales conversions attributable to social media, and the artistic choices influenced by platform algorithm dynamics. The theoretical framework draws on the sociology of art markets, the attention economy literature, and the digital creative economy scholarship that has emerged strongly since 2020. A key research question concerns whether social media engagement enhances artistic autonomy or reshapes creative output toward commercially palatable aesthetic choices driven by likes and shares. The study also evaluates the role of Lagos-based digital art collectives in supporting visibility and mentorship for younger artists. Findings are intended to inform gallery curators, arts councils, and digital literacy programme designers working with the creative sector in the South West. Keywords: social media, visual artists, Lagos, digital art market, creative economy