ÀRÌRÀWÀ: TAFTA Celebrates Creative Excellence and Reignites Alumni Connections

Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA) marked a new milestone in its creative journey with the unveiling of ÀRÌRÀWÀ — a flagship event designed to celebrate culture, community, and the transformative achievements of its alumni. Held at Terra Kulture in Victoria Island, Lagos, the event brought together creatives from Lagos, Ogun, and Kano in a vibrant gathering filled with storytelling, music, dance, spoken word, and shared inspiration. What began as an academy-driven training initiative has now evolved into a powerful network, one that reflects the talent, resilience, and ambition of young Nigerians shaping the country’s creative economy.

The launch of ÀRÌRÀWÀ signals a new phase for TAFTA: moving beyond training and expanding its influence into long-term community building. Over the past four years, more than 50,000 beneficiaries have passed through the programme, gaining skills in animation, film, scriptwriting, stage production, entrepreneurial management, and other creative disciplines through TAFTA’s partnership with the Mastercard Foundation. Many have moved from classrooms into studios, agencies, production houses, and independent ventures — creating new opportunities for themselves and others. ÀRÌRÀWÀ was conceived to keep this community connected, encourage collaboration, and sustain momentum long after their training ends.

At the core of the experience was a simple but powerful question: How do you keep a creative network alive beyond the moment of learning? The platform’s answer is a cultural homecoming, a space where alumni reconnect, celebrate one another’s growth, and build relationships that lead to work opportunities, mentorship, and shared projects. Throughout the event, the atmosphere reflected this vision: laughter exchanged between cohorts, young talents showcasing their art, and creators discovering their peers in new light. The alumni presence was a reminder that TAFTA is not only a training academy; it is a movement building bridges between young creatives and the industry they aspire to lead.

The evening also marked the introduction of the Young Women Advisory Group (YWAG) — a strategic initiative designed to strengthen alumni engagement and expand opportunities, particularly for young women pursuing careers in the creative sector. YWAG will support women in creative roles, spotlighting their leadership and opening structured pathways into dignified work and production environments.

TAFTA’s long-term ambition remains focused on transforming passion into viable careers and entrepreneurial pathways. With the programme now in its fourth year, the academy is on track to surpass its original mandate of training 65,000 young people across Nigeria. More importantly, the impact extends beyond skills development: participants are nurturing talents they’ve always carried within them, turning creative ideas into businesses, earning sustainable income, and building networks that support their goals. The academy continues to provide guidance, mentorship, and connections to industry opportunities, ensuring that training is not the end of the journey, but the beginning of it.

The success of ÀRÌRÀWÀ reflects what TAFTA has become: a living ecosystem of creative minds deeply rooted in culture, driven by innovation, and united by the desire to tell Africa’s stories on the world stage. As the Mastercard Foundation-supported project approaches its final year, TAFTA’s commitment remains clear — to expand employment pathways, increase access to dignified work, deepen mentorship networks, and support graduates as they grow into the next generation of creative leaders.

From the stage performances to the collective energy in the room, ÀRÌRÀWÀ embodied the spirit of connection, celebration, and artistic excellence. It stands as a reminder of what happens when creative dreams are nurtured, supported, and given space to grow — an alumni community that returns home not to begin again, but to continue evolving, together.

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