LABAF 28: Lagos Arts Festival to Spotlight AI, African Literature, Creative Industry
By Matthew Eloyi
The 28th edition of the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) is set to bring together writers, artists, scholars, performers and other stakeholders in Nigeria’s creative industry for a week-long celebration of literature, arts, culture and intellectual discourse.
The festival, organised by the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), will hold from November 16 to 22, 2026, at Freedom Park, Lagos, and other designated venues, under the theme, “REPAIR: The Workover Starts, Now.”
The programme features book readings, literary conversations, art exhibitions, film screenings, theatre performances, poetry sessions, workshops, symposia and discussions on the future of Nigeria’s creative industry.
A major highlight of this year’s festival will be the celebration of CORA’s 35th anniversary, marking 35 years since the organisation was founded on June 2, 1991.
The anniversary ceremony, scheduled for November 16 at Esther’s Revenge, Freedom Park, will feature reflections, tributes, testimonies and projections on the organisation’s journey and contributions to the development of Nigeria’s literary and cultural landscape.
The event will also feature a documentary screening, poetry presentations, music and dance performances, with CORA Chairman of Trustees, Chief Kayode Aderinokun, expected to deliver the welcome address.
Another major attraction will be the celebration of renowned Nigerian playwright and writer, Professor Femi Osofisan, who clocks 80.
The #CORALiterarySeason 3.0 will dedicate several sessions to examining Osofisan’s literary contributions through discussions of his books, including Literature and the Pressure.
