The Lagos Street Art Festival is set to return for its second edition with a programme aimed at expanding the place of public art and creative expression in Lagos.

Organised by Inscribe Art and the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency, the festival is scheduled to hold on November 7, 2026, at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos, bringing together visual art, music, culture and community experiences.

Lagos has in recent years seen growing interest in public art as artists, cultural organisations and government agencies explore ways of taking creative expression into streets and other shared spaces.

The approach has positioned murals and other forms of street art not only as tools for beautification, but also as platforms for storytelling, community engagement, tourism and the visibility of emerging artists.

According to a statement by the organisers and made available to PUNCH Online on Monday, the festival, which was introduced as Nigeria’s first open-air gallery, was designed to take art beyond traditional gallery walls and make creative expression more accessible to the public.

“Building on the success of its inaugural edition, the Lagos Street Art Festival is seeking to create a platform where emerging artists can showcase their work, collaborate and engage with new audiences while transforming public spaces into creative landmarks”, the statement partly read.

Speaking on the festival, a founding council member of LSAF, Osa Okunkpolor, popularly known as Osa Seven, said the organisers believed art should be accessible to a wider audience.

“We have always believed that art shouldn’t be confined in the galleries nor museums but become more accessible to the public and it’s very encouraging to have partners such as Adidas, who share same belief help us bring the second edition to life”, Okunkpolor was quoted as saying.

Beyond the annual festival, the organisers said LSAF was developing a broader public art movement in Africa, with a focus on visibility, opportunities and education for emerging artists.

Its programme includes “mural painting, workshops and talks, as well as a digital archive of artworks created during the festival, which the organisers said would help preserve the stories behind the works and contribute to Lagos’ evolving cultural identity.”

It added, “The second edition will feature performances by Nigerian hip-hop artistes, including Vector, Eva Alordiah and Illbliss, alongside live art battles, DJs, food and drinks, games, giveaways and other creative activities.”

The organisers said the combination of visual art and street culture would provide an avenue for artists to tell urban stories, connect with new audiences and transform public spaces through creative expression.

The festival is supported by Inscribe, LASPARK, Adidas, Hennessy, Berger Paints, Crea8torium, British Council, Q21 Solutions, Rora, Mirus Events, WhyFinite and Osengwa.

The organisers further noted that the partnerships were helping to create opportunities for artists to showcase their work, communities to engage with public art and Lagos to strengthen its position as a hub for contemporary African creativity.

The inaugural Lagos Street Art Festival in 2025 featured 12 artists, including nine Nigerians and three international artists, who created large-scale works across the city under the theme, “Legendary Lagos: City of Dreams.”

The festival was presented as an effort to make art more accessible by moving it from conventional galleries and museums into everyday public spaces.

The second edition is expected to build on that foundation by expanding opportunities for creative collaboration and further connecting public art with everyday life in Lagos.