Shyllon Museum, Others Strengthen Arts Journalism In Nigeria

Thirty-five arts and culture journalists from across Nigeria recently gathered at the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) at Pan-Atlantic University for a two-day international workshop designed to strengthen arts journalism, cultural communication, and media engagement within Nigeria’s growing creative ecosystem.

The workshop, titled New Narratives and Singular Communication in Arts Journalism: The Museo del Prado Experience, was organised by the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art in partnership with the Embassy of Spain in Nigeria and Casa África through its #PeriodismoÁfrica programme, with the support of the Museo Nacional del Prado, Madrid, and Art Report Africa as media partner.

The intensive programme brought together journalists, editors, critics, museum professionals, cultural communicators, and academics for conversations on ethics, storytelling, audience engagement, media relations, digital communication, artificial intelligence, and the evolving role of journalism in shaping public understanding of arts and culture.

A major highlight of the workshop was the participation of Carlos Chaguaceda, Director of Communications at the Museo del Prado, who delivered the keynote presentation titled The Prado and the Will to Communicate.

Commenting on the workshop, Joan Tusell, Coordinator of the #PeriodismoÁfrica programme at Casa África, said: “The way culture is reported shapes how societies understand themselves and how the world understands Africa. Cultural journalism is not simply about documenting events; it helps preserve memory, interpret change, and connect communities through shared stories.

Through # Periodismoáfrica, we seek to support journalists who tell richer, more nuanced stories about African realities. Bringing the Museo del Prado’s communication experience to Lagos was an opportunity to facilitate a practical exchange of ideas and experiences that will inspire journalists and cultural institutions alike to build stronger narratives and greater public engagement around the arts and culture.

At the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art, the workshop reflects a longstanding commitment to strengthening the cultural ecosystem through education, dialogue, and professional development.

The Director of YSMA, Dr Jess Castellote, demystified the hidden mechanics of value, validation, and storytelling in the art world in his workshop presentation titled “The Art Ecosystem and the Journalist’s Mandate.”

He remarked that, “A healthy cultural ecosystem requires informed and engaged journalism. Museums preserve and interpret culture, but journalists help amplify those conversations in the public sphere. At YSMA, the future of Nigeria’s art history depends partly on the stories journalists choose to tell today.

This workshop offered media professionals, academics, and cultural practitioners an opportunity to reflect together on the opportunities and responsibilities of reporting on the arts. We hope this experience refines the quality of cultural journalism, which ultimately shapes the visibility, understanding, and value society places on culture itself.”