An art enthusiast, Uche Joel-Chima, on Wednesday said that Nigeria needed  to develop more platforms that would motivate the world to appreciate  her art potential.

“We need the world to visit  the potential in  the art sector in Nigeria so that they will contribute to its growth,” said Joel-Chima, the Chief Exective officer, Museum of Contemporary Arts.

He  told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, that because of lack of support for the arts in the country, many young artists had begun to relocate to other countries.

“Some of them that are not making it want to relocate abroad where they can better themselves and get support.

“Artists need to be present in Nigeria to help the sector grow,  not moving out” he said.

He said that states, local governments areas and their communities needed  to be involved in the grooming and empowerment of young people in the art sector.

He said that the country could achieve this by  partnering  with local and foreign stakeholders in the industry through workshops, art competitions, seminars and exchange  programmes.

He said such programmes would focus on grooming pupils from primary schools as well as students from secondary schools about art.

“I was in Amsterdam recently, I was talking to young people and a little boy asked me “what are you working on”.

” This can happen in Nigeria if we start to groom them  while they are young.

“Over there,  they have museums in every corner so they know what art is, so if we begin with young people, the young minds can catch up easily.

“I want government to support  us, they should support institutions involved in the development of the art sector in the country. We need to grow art rapidly,” he said.

Joel-Chima, however, said that sustaining the arts in the country had been  a problem.

“We need to train and mentor people on how to sustain c the art sector more than it is now.

“Abroad, museums are sustained by immediate community. It could be possible here. There will be residency and tourism potential.

” If museums are established  in every locality, people who have  embraced arts and tourists will visit such sites  ,” he said.A