National Arts Theatre

North view

Coordinates: 6°28′35″N 3°22′10″E / 6.47639°N 3.36944°E The National Arts Theatre is the primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria. The monument is located in Iganmu, Lagos State. Construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977. The collection of National Gallery of Modern Nigerian Art is housed in a section of this building.

Design

Side view

The National Arts Theatre was built during the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo. Its exterior is shaped like a military hat. It has a 5,000-seater Main Hall with a collapsible stage, and two 700-800 capacity cinema halls, all of which are equipped with facilities for simultaneous translation of 8 languages; among others.

The National Arts Theatre was designed and constructed by Bulgarian construction companies and resembles the Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria (completed in 1968), the National Arts Theatre Lagos being the bigger of the two.

Controversy

In 2001, President Olusegun Obasanjo announced plans to privatise the National Arts Theatre. This sparked controversy amongst Nigerian entertainers and playwrights like Wole Soyinka. On December 30, 2014, it was reported that the National Arts Theatre has been sold to a Dubai-based conglomerate for the sum of $40million, and that the building will be converted to a duty-free shopping mall.

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