This paper discussed arts gallery entrepreneurship initiative as a veritable means for sustainability in Nigeria. It presented concepts of Art gallery, and discussed in details the meaning of entrepreneurship and its ideas in generating income through school art gallery. The role of art collectors in setting standard production and marketing art works for sustainable development was also discussed in this paper. It also highlighted the factors militating against arts gallery practice in Schools, and stated good reasons for art gallery practice toward ensuring a triumphant entrepreneurial programme in the institutions of learning in Nigeria. The paper concluded by making suggestions on how to improve arts gallery practice in Fine and Applied Arts Schools among them are: redirecting the efforts of educational planners to effect positive changes in the implementation of establishment of art gallery and its practices at all level of education in Nigeria as part of creative arts curriculum, this will create a conducive atmosphere for art and entrepreneurship. If joblessness must be reduced among the school leavers, introduction of technical schools must be embraced by the government to train artisans that will provide the needed human capital for running art gallery businesses and other self-reliant professions.

1. ART GALLERY ENTREPRENEURSHIP INITIATIVE:
A VERITABLE MEANS FOR SUSTAINABILITY IN
NIGERIA
Being a paper presented during the 2nd International Conference on Education for
Sustainable Development (ICESD-2016) at the San-Diego Hotels. Abakaliki, Ebonyi
State, Nigeria.
Date: 27th -28th July, 2016.
By:
SAMSON A. ADEDOKUN
samsonadedokun80@gmail.com
07062311181
Department of Fine and Applied Arts,
Federal College Of Education (Technical) Bichi,
Kano State.

2. Abstract
This paper discussed arts gallery entrepreneurship initiative as a veritable means for
sustainability in Nigeria. It presented concepts of Art gallery, and discussed in details the
meaning of entrepreneurship and its ideas in generating income through school art
gallery. The role of art collectors in setting standard production and marketing art works
for sustainable development was also discussed in this paper. It also highlighted the
factors militating against arts gallery practice in Schools, and stated good reasons for art
gallery practice toward ensuring a triumphant entrepreneurial programme in the
institutions of learning in Nigeria. The paper concluded by making suggestions on how to
improve arts gallery practice in Fine and Applied Arts Schools among them are: redirecting
the efforts of educational planners to effect positive changes in the implementation of
establishment of art gallery and its practices at all level of education in Nigeria as part of
creative arts curriculum, this will create a conducive atmosphere for art and
entrepreneurship. If joblessness must be reduced among the school leavers, introduction of
technical schools must be embraced by the government to train artisans that will provide
the needed human capital for running art gallery businesses and other self-reliant
professions.
Key words: art gallery, Art collector, entrepreneurship, sustainable development.

3. INTRODUCTION
 The world today is facing the crisis of unemployment, especially among the developing countries. Nigeria’s
economy is now in grave peril due to her condition of unemployment rate. The consequences of this menace
have started reflecting in our society ever since when military ruled this country. The insurgency had been
claiming life due to joblessness; violence and crime become the order of the day. Since the thousand of
youths in the country who are suppose to be job provider after living the schools find it so difficult to stand
on their own. Acording to Ojeagu and Owolabi (2011), Problem of unemployment in our country is ever
increasing every day majorly among Nigerian youth. Ebiringa (2012), posits that unless the problem of
unemployment is properly addressed the economic growth of this county would not develop. Unemployment
is one of the developmental problems that face every developing economy.
 The young men and women have felt it negatively more and the consequence resulted to poverty, crime and
indefinite violence across the nation. Unemployment has been the general observations from many
researcher in Nigerian (Alanana, 2003; Awogbenle and Iwuamadi, 2010; Okafor, 2011; Emeh, 2012). In
their research activities, they have brought to the limelight that youth unemployment across the world has
reached a great height and are likely to climb further. Okafor (2011) recognized that in Sub-Sahara Africa,
youth population was 28.9 million, or 21 percent of them unemployed. It has also been noted that youth
unemployment in Africa has an environmental element as it is generally higher in the cosmopolitan cities
than in rural area.
 The fast growing population in Africa has been one of the factors contributing to low job creation and the
small labour market is unable to absorb the youth unemployment rate in Nigeria. While trying to solve the
problems of joblessness among the youths, little attention has been given to Fine and Applied Arts and other
vocational courses. Students can easily learn and become a self reliant by actively engaging in the business
of buying and selling of artworks within a specific place termed art gallery. This innovation in economics
called entrepreneurship.

4. Meaning of Entrepreneurship
 Egele (2006), is of the opinion that entrepreneurship could, in a large context, be regarded as a part of
enterprise cyclically. This implies new idea is developed into a marketable concept, entrepreneurship which
implies the willingness to take intended risks, the ability to formulate an effective business enterprise team,
the creative skills to assemble necessary resources, the skill to build a solid business plan, and the vision to
recognize opportunity when others just see disorder, challenge and error. In essence, art gallery will create
entrepreneurial ability to generate income, improve standard of living and strengthen economic potential of
both teachers and the students if is properly manage.
 According to Asian Productivity Organization (2007), Entrepreneurship is regarded as a type of business
acumen which may be enhanced through improvements in know-how, skills, and competency. Asian
Productivity Organization (APO) stressed further that competitiveness is attributable to a number of factors.
These include: appropriate business models and strategies, the ability to penetrate a market, and strong
leadership. These factors are the prerequisite when one is aiming at a profitable business. The Micro, Small
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) (2010), explains entrepreneurship development as one of the solutions
for promotion of small enterprises, particularly, the first generation entrepreneurs. He discusses further that
entrepreneurship and follow-on creation of employment and wealth, is a means for inclusive development.
Hence, entrepreneurship development has been one of the priorities in countries and the world at large.
 Chowdhary and Prakash (2010), focused on the need for training rural entrepreneurs and small scale
business men and women. He also investigates the less than acceptable performance of rural
entrepreneurship development programmes in the state of Rajasthan (India). However, the act of buying and
selling art works in the school set up has not been seen as entrepreneurship, being that specific place or room
as not been allocated for the programme. So people prefer to patronize road side artist. By so doing, what
student supposes to gain to make him or her self-reliant is not exist.

5. Concept of Sustainable Development
 Sustainable development can be broadly defined as the ability of the economy to support
the need of people of a country over a given period of time, taking into consideration the
economic, social, and ecological constraints of the country (Ayodele, 2007).
 Over the years, Sustainable development has become a key-note issue of economic
stability an important prototype for society development. Hedayat and Ma’rof (2010),
view that sustainable development as a single process with three dimensions, these are
economic development, social development and environmental protection.
 These dimensions were originally introduced with the aim of identifying areas in which
social, economic and environmental goals are interrelated. Unknowingly, the impact of
education on sustainable development is what empowered people (youth) over the years
in Nigeria and until when these roots of development were not properly managed, that the
society ran into problem.

6. Concept of Art Gallery
 Art gallery is a room or sequence of rooms where works of art are exhibited. It is a building or a place where
art works are displayed either provisionally or permanently with the purpose of selling finished art works
and art materials both locally and foreign made for the sake of art collectors, patrons and lovers.
 Banjoko, (2009), defined art gallery as part of a museum and it can be owned by government, private
organizations or individual person(s). He made it known that many of Art Galleries in Nigeria are for
assortment. A process by which people buy art works from renowned artists and displaying it for sales in
their galleries.
 Galleries, in a broad sense can also contain production section for creation of art works and can also serve as
a training centre, if it is close to where teaching and learning takes place. Gallery serves as retail area where
artists display, exhibit and sell their art works. Thus, these are the importance of gallery within a school
setting:
 Education/acculturation: opening of art gallery provides students in the school with the opportunity to learn
about art forms and composition. It will expose them to different ideas and the new techniques for their own
practical work in the department. Many that are not students of art (science) may be encouraged to change or
add art to their career and become professionally involved in art. Take for instance; student of computer
science with the knowledge of computer programming could derive ideas of becoming computer graphics
artist by mere visiting the school art gallery regularly.
 Entertainment: all art works are made with the intention of appealing and pleasing people’s interest.
Allowing students to move round displayed art works in the school art gallery will entertain and help them to
have a relaxing time after they might have been stressed up with reading in their different courses. It can also
serve as a place to regain hope for those who are facing one problem or the other. It can also provide
students with insight on how to gain craft experiences to earn a living after living the school when no
employment is visible.

7. Concept of Art Gallery (cont.)
 Therapy: Art gallery can serve as a therapy centre for the students who are
faced by personal, social or family problems. Art work in some cases can
cure the anxiety of many who are unsettled with family problems, even
among the staff who through their visitation of the gallery and buying
relevant art works can restore hope and love in their homes.
 Art gallery is a place for leisure activities: several art books that will
introduce people to how artists think and work can be seen in the art gallery
that would encourage students to work harder. Art books that related to
cultural and socializing art work can be accessed at the gallery.
 Means of generating income: it has been a challenge for higher institutions
to generate revenues internally to argument government allocations and
interventions. Since art gallery is meant for display, exhibition, and sales of
art works, establishment of functional art galleries will increase Internally
Generation Revenue (IGR) for the school through the Fine and Applied Arts
Department. Student will inculcate the necessary skills on how to produce
and market art works right from their period of schooling.

8. Factors militating against Art Gallery Practice in Schools
 Since the education curriculum is not static, what qualified
artist some decade ago is no more relevant for the present
youths to become useful to earn a living. The needed
knowledge by the students require adequate
entrepreneurship programme for sustainability. The
problems associated with art gallery practice development
in Nigeria could be traced to many factors, including poor
funding, poor quality of teachers, bad attitude of
parents, lack of commitment of some students, non-
improvement in the educational curriculum,
educational policies, dominance of educational
courses over art courses, poor marketing
environment, government emphasis on university art
education instead of focusing on colleges of
education.

9. Concept of Art Gallery (cont.)
Art collectors
 These are people who fall in love with art creativity. They are merchant men, who are wealthy
enough to afford artistic price in the production studio. Art collectors can set a building apart
for buying art work from renowned artists, display it for selling. The ability to gather art works
from original owners is called art collector.
 In establishing art gallery, the teacher should select a suitable building “not hidden” which
should be close to or be part of the art studio. The proposed art gallery should be properly and
structurally designed to attract attention of people with illustration of the operations carried out
in the art gallery.
 The gallery should cover the four major styles of modern Nigerian art identified by Odita cited
in Bosah and Edozie (2010) which are:
 Environmental art
 Convergent art
 Traditional art
 Synthesized art

10. Justification for Art Gallery Practice in Schools
 The establishment of gallery within school premises will create effectiveness in
teaching and learning of art education, prepare students for job opportunity,
availability of quality art materials for the art teacher and student, and good
environment to market art works.
 It is hoped that redirecting the efforts of educational planners to effect positive
changes in the implementation of establishment of art gallery and its practices at all
level of education in Nigeria as part of creative arts curriculum will create a
conducive atmosphere for art entrepreneurship programmes.
 Supporting this position, Asuquo and Akanbi (2006) posit that going to school from
basic to tertiary level is training for living. You go to school so that you become a
useful citizen of society and self-reliant, meaning that after you finish your
education in the college or university you can work and earn money to cater for
yourself and family.

11. Conclusion
Sustainable development can be embraced in our society
through vocational education, among which is creative art.
There is need to instill the right attitude and knowledge of Fine
and Applied Arts in our children (youths of tomorrow).
Art gallery practice in schools is one of the ways by which art
students can demonstrate their significant relevance, to become
more problems-solving members of the larger society.
 Entrepreneurship and art practice in schools will establish the
evidence of educational value in the society. It will be of great
importance if students inculcate the necessary skills on how to
produce and market art works right from the school. The pursuit
of entrepreneurship drives will now be part of our society instead
of relying absolutely on employment from government.

12. Recommendations
 Based on the foregoing discussions, this paper thereby recommends that:
 Art galleries should be established in all Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education offering Fine
and Applied Arts, as part of branches of National Art Gallery to provide a platform for students to get
acquainted with the business of arts production and marketing, which will in turn provide them with
sustainable means of livelihood after school.
 School managements should consider the possibility of investing in school-based art galleries as an avenue
to beef up their Internally Generated Revenue capacities.
 There is the need for the restructuring of the curriculum contents of art education at all levels of the school
system (most especially at the tertiary education level), giving more room for practical training that will
equip the students with productive skills with which they can start up their own entrepreneurial enterprises,
such as art galleries after graduation, instead of having to wait endlessly for white collar jobs that are often
scarce.
 There is also the need for career reorientation of both students and their parents on the need to embrace
vocational and technical courses, as a panacea for addressing the perennial problems of difficulties in getting
white collar jobs after graduation.
 Students should be encouraged to produce quality art works that can be displayed and sold in their schools
art galleries as a means of making extra money as students while still in school. This mindset can be further
developed into full entrepreneurship drive after graduation.
 Also, regular exhibitions should be organized to showcase art works produced by staff and students in school
art galleries, so as to attract patronage and for academic research purposes.

13. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION