The creative mural installation in strategic locations around Alimosho Local Government represented the initiation of the final phase of our Alimosho Climate Campaign. This project was designed to promote environmental awareness, climate action, and community accountability through powerful artistic expressions featuring the theme Rebel With A Broom.
The mural painting initiative commenced with a systematic approach to identifying suitable spaces. We initially approached the Alimosho Local Government Office to establish partnerships with the required authorities for securing spaces for our mural locations. Our first engagement resulted in an official acknowledgment letter, with guidance to return on a specified date the following week for further discussions.
During our subsequent visit, we were strategically introduced to several community leaders responsible for identifying potential spaces within their respective jurisdictions for our art installations. The meeting also provided crucial insights into Lagos State laws governing public area paintings. During our engagement with one of the officials, she indicated that to create public art installations we must obtain a license from Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA). Consequently, we were professionally advised to engage with LASAA to ensure our paintings would be legally secured and protected from potential defacement.
Our collaborative approach continued with a productive meeting at the Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA). During the discussion, we met with the head of the facility and his assistant and discussed extensively on our project. We proposed installing one of our murals on their facility’s wall, which was enthusiastically received albeit with a longer timeline exceeding our project timeline. The agency representatives personally guided us through their facilities, showing us waste processing facilities and how the entire system works. They further showed us around the outdoor building highlighting multiple potential spaces for our art installations and demonstrating their commitment to our environmental messaging.
Recognizing the expansive nature of Alimosho Local Government, we simultaneously reached out to other local government councils within the constituency. This comprehensive approach ensured we could maximize our project’s reach and impact across the entire local government area. While simultaneously sourcing spaces, we launched a call for local artists to participate in the project. This phase presented significant challenges, particularly regarding financial constraints. The initial quotes from artists for a single painting were nearly equivalent to our entire budget allocation for all 15 planned murals. We strategically moved to focus on local artists within the Alimosho area which was suggested by community members and the Local Government Officials.
Despite attracting considerable interest from local artists, we encountered obstacles in concept development. 15 local artists applied for our open call, however, many struggled to translate our vision into the precise artistic expressions we sought. Some even proposed additional payment for design conceptualization, despite receiving comprehensive artwork guidelines. After thorough deliberation, our management team carefully selected five artists who demonstrated both creative excellence and budget sensitivity. We engaged these artists to paint three walls each, ultimately achieving our target of 15 murals within our predefined parameters. The selected concepts were then sent to local government officials, schools, LAWMA, and market women to provide feedback and select concepts they would love to be painted in their locations.
The project’s implementation was not without further challenges. Some artists reported that some designated walls were unsuitable for their artistic work. Our team responded immediately, actively seeking alternative spaces to maintain our project timeline. Additionally, some artists faced resistance from local gatekeepers (agberos) demanding substantial permissions fees. We effectively mitigated these challenges by leveraging our relationships with local government offices that had originally granted us the spaces.
Once these obstacles were systematically resolved, our artists commenced their work, completing the entire mural installation process in approximately three weeks. The chosen locations were strategically selected, including major transportation routes, bustling markets, educational institutions, and public health facilities within the local government area. This deliberate placement strategy was designed to maximize visibility and engagement among Alimosho residents.
The mural creation process became an unexpected community event, generating significant local excitement. Residents gathered enthusiastically to observe the artwork’s progressive development. We seized these moments as invaluable opportunities to educate onlookers about critical waste management practices, thereby reinforcing our primary project objective of promoting a secure, clean and sustainable future.
