Museum of West African Art (MOWAA) has been awarded a $3 million grant by a global arts patron, Andrew Mellon Foundation, ahead of the official opening of the museum’s institute in November.
Founded in 2020, MOWAA located in Benin City, Edo State, is dedicated to preservation, expansion and celebration of West African arts and cultural heritage. Through its programmes and resources, the museum aims to foster deeper connections between contemporary art, culture and the rich West African heritage, whilst establishing itself as a center for excellence for African and diasporan artists and scholar.
Commending Mellon Foundation for the grant, the museum’s executive director, Philip Ihenacho, said,
“The fund will help us develop world-class facilities and programmes that will elevate the management and conservation of our (West Africa’s) rich heritage.
Our goal is to reposition the cultural sector as a viable space for practitioners and leaders across West Africa.”