The National Arts Theatre is the
primary centre for the performing arts in Nigeria. The monument is located in
Iganmu, Surulere, Lagos. Construction was completed in 1976 in preparation for
the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977. The collection of National
Gallery of Modern Nigerian Art is housed in a section of this building.
The National Arts Theatre was
built during the military regime of Olusegun Obasanjo. Its exterior is shaped
like a military hat. It has a 5,000-seater Main Hall with a collapsible stage,
and two capacity cinema halls, all of which are equipped with facilities for
simultaneous translation of 8 languages; among others.
The National Arts Theatre was
designed and constructed by Bulgarian construction companies and resembles the
Palace of Culture and Sports in Varna, Bulgaria (completed in 1968), the
National Arts Theatre Lagos being the bigger of the two.
In 2010, President Olusegun
Obasanjo announced plans to privatise the National Arts Theatre. This sparked
controversy amongst Nigerian entertainers and playwrights like Wole Soyinka.On December 30, 2014, it was reported that the National Arts Theatre has been
sold to a Dubai-based conglomerate for the sum of $40million, and that the
building will be converted to a duty-free shopping mall.
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