Founded in the heart of Lagos, Nigeria, Lianna Foundation & Gallery is an independent art space committed to bold artistic practices while building deeper connections across communities, disciplines, and histories. Lianna was established to support the professional and personal growth of artists, curators, and cultural practitioners working across the African continent and its diaspora. The Foundation focuses on long-term support structures for artists, particularly women and underrepresented voices, through residencies, fellowships, mentorship, collaborative programs and learning initiatives. Our Artist Residency Program offers selected creatives dedicated time, space, and curatorial support to deepen their practice, culminating in a public presentation or exhibition. We organize exhibitions and programs that are reflective of our larger mission to center African history, and cultural narratives in all their complexity and brilliance. The gallery serves as a space where art is both presented as a finished product and encountered as an ongoing dialogue. It is a site for gatherings that amplify and bring together like-minded individuals who challenge conventional norms and reimagine what the art community could be. In Our Family Meetings, we hold space for intimate public conversations that prioritize vulnerability, process, and the richness of exchange between artists and community. These gatherings challenge traditional formats by encouraging honest and collective reflection within the community. Alongside this, our initiative FLENs extends our educational work by spotlighting artists grounded in narratives that further the female empowerment and decolonial frameworks set in place to gatekeep. Together, the Foundation and Gallery cultivate a living, breathing ecosystem for artistic growth; we are a movement committed to representation, and the radical possibilities of art. -
Lianna Foundation is the nonprofit arm of our organization, dedicated to nurturing artistic practices that uplift communities, preserve heritage, and spark systemic change. Rooted in the belief that art has the power to transform lives and shape societies, the foundation supports underrepresented artists through residencies, educational initiatives, grants, and capacity-building programs.
Our mission is to create space for cultural agency, knowledge exchange, and interdisciplinary learning. Whether through artist residencies, mentorships, or public programming, the Foundation centers experimentation, and storytelling, placing African narratives at the heart of its work. We are committed to building a sustainable arts ecosystem that not only reflects the complexities of our present but reimagines a more just and inclusive future.
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Lianna Gallery is a contemporary art space located in Lagos, Nigeria, committed to showcasing experimental, and thought-provoking work from emerging and established artists across Africa and its diaspora. The gallery serves as a dynamic platform for exhibitions, performances, installations, and interdisciplinary dialogue. Through curated shows and collaborative projects, we advance the practices of artists who push boundaries, provoke questions and our view on how we see the world.
Lianna gallery is a space for presentation and critical engagement, and creative possibility. With a commitment to inclusivity and innovation, Lianna Gallery fosters the professional and financial growth of artists while also connecting them with local and international audiences, collectors, and collaborators.
Our Team
Princess Ayoola
Founder & Director
Princess Ayoola is a curator and cultural producer committed to artist support, care-based programming, and building creative ecosystems. With over a decade of experience working in the arts across West Africa and internationally, she has developed a practice rooted in community, collaboration, and conversation.
Before founding Lianna Foundation, Princess worked closely with artists, institutions, and cultural spaces across Nigeria, where she contributed to numerous exhibitions, public programmes, and artist-led initiatives. Her work is shaped by a deep investment in process, visibility, and creating spaces where artists can think freely and work sustainably.
Through Lianna, she continues to explore new ways of supporting artistic practice—centering experimentation, inclusion, and long-term growth. She sees the foundation as an evolving space for artists to make, connect, and reimagine what’s possible.
Iretomiwa sharon omodeinde
Curatorial Assistant
Sharon is an Ibadan-based writer-artist whose practice spans performance, sound, and text. He has a background in social work, editorial practice, and administrative support, and works from a mindset of sustained curiosity. As an artist and assistant curator, Sharon’s work is grounded in research, introspection and community engagement.
He is currently building curatorial expertise, having served briefly at the African Artists’ Foundation in 2023.
emmanuel Ikwuegbu (EMMages)
Creative / Technical Associate
Emmanuel Ikwuegbu is a visual artist and photographer from Nigeria. He blends mediums and meanings with in photographs by engaging with materials unconventionally. He leans heavily towards experimental techniques.
He approaches his work as a form of self-inquiry, probing self-perception and his cultural influences as a Nigerian, and African.
Joshua Morrison
Creative Associate
Joshua Morrison is a visual storyteller and art enthusiast with a bakground in communication and media. As a creative associate at Lianna Foundation, he handles social media and provides creative and adminstrative support.
His practice is grounded in storytelling, digital engagement, and a commitment to using art and communication to support social impact.