Expressions Again was a touring art, children’s creative writing and performing arts exhibition that took place across three cities in Nigeria in 2007. The tour was an extension of the original Expressions tour of 2006 and was sponsored by Cadbury Nigeria and the Heart of Africa Project. The tour started in Abuja, moved to Kano and ended in Calabar, with a stop over in Obudu Ranch where facilitators and key artists were rejuvenated. This time around there was added variety, more cultural diversity and enhanced creative writing facilitation.
As with Expressions, each zone had a theme. Argungu Fishing Festival for Abuja, Hawan-Daushe Festival for Kano and Ekpe Festival for Calabar. Children’s creative writing was centred around the cultural theme to help them develop a greater awareness for Nigerian traditional art and culture. Award winning, internationally acclaimed, children and young peoples arts and workshop facilitator Olusola Oyeleye accompanied the tour and provided a drama filled expressive element to creativity.
As 2007 was the bicentenary of the abolition of slavery, there was emphasis on slave history. Lots of artwork depicted this and a tour of the slave history museum in Calabar presented a unique opportunity to learn the truth about Nigeria’s slave history. There was so much diversity witnessed on the tour.
The main sponsors of the tour were Cadbury Nigeria and the Heart of Africa Project. There was support from; Alliance Française, British Council, Protea Hotels, Nike Galleries, Silverbird Group, Tula Clothing, Obudu Ranch, Studio Xtra, Cross River State Tourism Board, Colourful Radio, Guarantee Trust Bank, Markets & Investments and the Tinapa Project.
