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The Pan-African Circle of Artists was established as a forum for the promotion of art and culture on the African continent.

It champions the cause of art through diverse means, including exhibitions, seminars, workshops, folklore sessions, slide talks, lectures, publications, etc.

Pan-African Circle of Artists is fast earning an international reputation and has remained so far one of the very few truly professional art associations operating inside Africa today.

Within the bounds of the principles of new internationalism, Pan-African Circle of Artist's main concern has been the creation of a home-grown voice for the continued dissemination of the arts of African on Africa's own terms.

Our Achievements                                   

Over the years, PACA has initiated and organised some note-worthy activities as part of its effort at re-imaging the arts in Africa. Besides its numerous enriching workshops, lectures, and roundtables, PACA has organised major conferences and biennial exhibitions focussing on very thought-provoking themes and issues.

For instance in 2002, it organised, with the support of Prince Claus Fund (The Netherlands), “the Pan-African Conference on the Status, Role, and Working Condition of the Artist in Africa” and thus provided an opportunity for artists and allied professionals to gather and discuss in Enugu issues in the making and dissemination of art as they affect the African artist.

Also in 2002, the 4th edition of Afrika Heritage, the PACA Biennale, took place at four art centres in Lagos, bringing together about 80 artists, art critics, and historians from fourteen  African countries, Britain, USA, and Japan. 

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What We Believe                         

PACA’s strong belief in the power of the printed word has also encouraged it to pay much attention to documentation. In Africa’s art terrain where there has been dearth of publications (especially publications by Africans themselves), local initiatives in this area such as PACA’s remain a very significant watershed in the development of modern art in Africa.

Besides its erudite and rich exhibition catalogues, PACA publishes a biannual review, Letter from Africa, which normally critically documents the association’s activities alongside other issues in art and criticism. Proceedings of some of PACA’s conferences are also recorded in book form.

In its eleven years of existence, PACA has striven to establish itself as a possible tool for “returning the Euro-American gaze” in the art scene. This it has done by demonstrating to its members and other artists that one of the best ways of claiming a space in the international art market may not be the besieging of Western art centres, but the engineering of a home-grown art dissemination machinery through more responsive networking and professionalised activities inside Africa.

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Our Main Concern

Part of PACA’s main concern is the creation of a more integrated art scene in the African continent through meaningful networking among Africa’s creative people. To help in facilitating this situation, PACA initiated a study tour of Africa in 2001 and some members from Nigeria visited Ghana and Ivory Coast by road, meeting with artists and critics in those countries.

During the tour, a roundtable was held in Abobo, Abidjan, and a statement has been issued from the conference by the International Advisory Council of The Pan-African Circle of Artists under the title The Abidjan Declaration.

The 2002 Study Tour had its focus on Mali and Burkina Faso and was commemorated with roundtables in Ouagadougou and Bamako and a major art exhibit at the Centre Soleil d’Afrique in Bamako featuring artists from different parts of Africa.

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The International Secretariat

The International Secretariat, temporarily situated at #16, Nnewi Lane, off Ogui Road, Ogui, Enugu, Nigeria, is run by an Administrative Secretary in consultation with the International Secretary, President, and Treasurer. The Administrative Secretaryship is an appointable position, tenable for two years and is renewable, depending on the performance of the incumbent. Appointment to the position is at the discretion of the Advisory Council. Both members and non-members of PACA can be appointed to this position. The Administrative Secretary is assisted by three other staff.

So  far, PACA has national  councils in Nigeria and South Africa. While the Nigeria Council was created in 1993, the South Africa Council just took off in 2003.

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PACA’s Ultimate Goal

PACA’s ultimate goal is to help in creating an art-friendly situation (which is largely absent at the moment) in Africa so that the full potentials of art and aesthetics will be more meaningfully exploited by African peoples for a wholesome social development and for the enrichment and sustenance of Africa’s identity in an increasingly globalised world. 

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