The Yinka Shonibare Foundation would like to express its sincere condolences to the family of George Floyd and everyone effected by his brutal murder.

The Yinka Shonibare Foundation will continue to work to address the fundamental structural inequalities that culminated in the death of Mr. Floyd and many more, as a result of racial violence and economic inequities.

It is with great sadness that we must announce the postponement of Yinka Shonibare Foundation’s Art Auction and Gala at the end of May 2020.

The idea of philanthropy in the arts in an African context has never been more important. The traditional model of philanthropy needs to evolve in order to ensure it fulfils its own potential as a catalyst for growth and best serves the needs of those it is intended to support. Patronage is crucial in supporting artists to reach their creative potential.

Over the past decade, I’ve been running a project space for emerging artists in east London called Guest Projects. Based just off Broadway Market, it supports practitioners in a variety of disciplines, from visual artists to musicians to theatre companies.

The British-Nigerian artist Yinka Shonibare is planning to launch an artist residency programme across two sites in Nigeria: one in Lagos and the other in the rural area of Ijebu in Ogun state.