US releases $95,000 for digital preservation of Nigerian arts, artefacts

The United States Mission in Nigeria, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of State, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Nigeria’s National Commission for Museums and Monuments, has launched a joint art project aimed at preserving Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

Themed the “Preserving Nigeria’s Heritage” project, it seeks to enhance access to Nigeria’s cultural treasures for a broader audience, both locally and internationally, while also improving the professional skills of museum staff through training and collaboration.

Additionally, it aims to raise awareness about the importance of cultural preservation.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Lee Satterfield highlighted the United States’ history of investing in cultural preservation projects, citing over $1.3 million in grants awarded across Nigeria in the past decade.

Notable projects include a $125,000 grant in 2020 from CyArk to digitally survey and document the Busanyin Shrine within the Osun Osogbo Sacred Grove, as well as a $114,000 grant in 2022 to Yale University for a wood conservation partnership between the National Museum in Lagos and Yale’s Art Gallery.

Satterfield announced a new $95,000 grant to the Metropolitan Museum of Art through the Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant program. This grant will support the “Preserving Nigeria’s Heritage” project, which involves creating a digital inventory of the Nigerian Commission for Museums and Monuments collections and establishing museum and community education programs.

The United States and Nigeria signed a cultural property agreement in January 2022, demonstrating their commitment to collaborating on cultural preservation efforts.

Satterfield emphasized that while the United States is dedicated to protecting cultural property worldwide, its closest collaborations are with bilateral agreement partners like Nigeria.

This grant signifies Nigeria’s first Cultural Property Agreement Implementation Grant, underscoring the ongoing partnership between the two countries in safeguarding Nigeria’s cultural heritage.

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