Towards invigorating cultural centres in Nigeria

Abstract

It has been observed that the most mismanaged and most misdirected of the cultural infrastructures that have emerged since the  euphoria of cultural re-awakening in Nigeria in the 1970s are the Cultural Centres (or Arts  Centres) which were offshoots of the various  State Arts Councils (or  Councils for Arts and Cultures) established by the various State  Governments. The main reason for the  misdirection of the affairs of the  Cultural Centres has been attributed to the lack of understanding or  appreciation of the social and  political roles that the institutions can play in  our national development and social mobilization. Therefore, an attempt is  made in this  essay to put the role of Cultural Centres in a proper  perspective by examining the concept and origin of the institutions. The  essay  concludes with the organizational framework in which the Cultural  Centres can be effectively managed to achieve the desired impact as  agents  of community development and social mobilization.