Nov. 30, 2021

…As 100 Talents Begin Advance Training in Del-York Creative Academy Diploma Programme

The Lagos State Government and Del York Creative Academy (DCA) have commenced the next stage of training in the Creative Lagos programme for 100 exceptional talents chosen from the initial 1,000 persons who started the programme earlier in the year.

This follows the successful completion of a first-of-its-kind virtual skills training programme for creative talents in Lagos State under the auspices of the Lagos Creative Industry Initiative (LACI).

The Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Pharm. Mrs. Uzamat Akinbile-Yussuf, gave an update about the training programme and revealed that the international faculty members of DCA have arrived in the country from Los Angeles to impart valuable industry knowledge to students participating in the four-week intensive programme.

Akinbile-Yusuf said: “This is the fulfilment of a promise made at the start of the Creative Lagos programme that the students will maximise the opportunity to develop their God-given talents and help the State in its bid to build up the creative industry’s capacity towards the journey to making Lagos State Africa’s creative industry capital”.

The Commissioner confirmed that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, in keeping with his promise to empower young and promising talents across the State through access to capacity building opportunities for the creative industry, approved the sponsorship of 100 best graduating students from the Creative Lagos online programme for the intensive hands-on programme that is about to commence at the Del York Creative Academy.

Expressing her pride over the tremendous growth witnessed among the students in the last ten months, Akinbile-Yussuf noted that some of them have begun to impact positively on the local industry ecosystem and their local communities.

Her words: “We cannot be more proud of your hard work, diligence and passion seeing what you have achieved in such a short time. Some of the work you’ve done, especially in the class projects and short films you created, have further reinforced the underlying logic for setting up the Lagos State Creative Industry Initiative (LACI)”.

She also stated that the administration of Governor Sanwo-Olu is gradually unveiling many of the other empowerment programmes that have been created to bolster the creative industry, just like the objectives of the Creative Lagos programme, all in accordance with the T.H.E.M.E.S and LACI agenda.

“I will, therefore, encourage all beneficiaries of this scholarship to give their very best as your success story is not yours alone, but an important part of the jigsaw puzzle we are designing for the future of African storytellers and the creative industry at large”, Akinbile-Yussuf added.

Also speaking, Linus Idahosa, President of DCA said, “This is just the beginning. We are currently building a foundation alongside our partners that will set the stage for the curation and explosion of young African talents into the global film, media and entertainment industry. We will not stop there but will go further to ensure that you receive the leverage that will set you apart as innovative thinkers and doers for the creative industry in Lagos State and across Africa”.

Visibly excited and appreciative, beneficiaries of the Lagos State Government scholarship could not hide their delight at being successful students of the programme as they joined their counterparts from across the continent for the anticipated DCA experience.

They expressed their gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner, Pharm. Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, the President of DCA, Linus Idahosa and other distinguished personalities for their passionate support and commitment to nurturing a new generation of exceptional talents in the Lagos State Creative Industry towards making Lagos the hub of Africa’s creative industry.

The DCA programme is reputed to be the most-intensive practical training initiative for creative industry talents in Africa and will run all through to the end of December 2021.

Registration is ongoing for the March 2022 intake and prospective students can register by visiting the website: delyorkcreative.academy.