Osaze Efe is an international photo festival curator based in Abuja, Nigeria. He is interested in exploring new representations of visual engagement and expanding artistic conversations about social change. As an art festival curator, he has provided a juncture for reflection, inspiration, and interaction on the power of photography for developmental advocacy and advancement.

Osaze fosters a creative space for artists, cultural promoters, and art entrepreneurs to network, create, and amplify stories worth hearing. Since 2017, the Abuja Photo Festival has worked with more than 3,000 young people, unlocking their creative energy to document critical narratives while providing mentorship that supports their creative career journey. In 2021, Osaze launched the project “En Route,” which offers a fresh view on how migration is impacting the Nigerian cultural landscape.

Osaze Efe’s primary interest is in cultural dynamism and its role in sustainable development for society. He has served as an art for development consultant on projects with UNDP, UNESCO, World Intellectual Property Organization, and the Embassies of China, Spain and Sweden in Nigeria. 

2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Framing Rights

This project leveraged the tool of visual storytelling (photography and short films) to heighten human rights awareness among citizens, the government and other stakeholders. Four photographers and a short film maker participated in a workshop where they were trained on ethical visual documentation of human rights narratives. They then documented stories in line with the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights and their final products were used as educational tools to raise awareness about human rights issues in schools. The newly trained storytellers also participated in the Abuja photo festival in October, which gave them a chance to showcase their work to a larger audience. One participant reflected that the workshop was "an eye-opener for me…it has inspired [me to] be deliberate about how I tell stories using my lens.”

Osaze also moderated the IVLP Impact Awards Alumni Discussion Series panel on “Advancing Human Rights for Marginalized Communities,” which you can read more about here.

"Having successfully completed the 'Framing Rights' workshop, I can attest to its transformative power. This immersive experience brought together passionate photographers like me, providing expert guidance, hands-on practice, and a platform to amplify human rights issues through the lens of our cameras. It's not just a workshop; it's a journey of empowerment and advocacy, and I'm proud to be a part of it…I envision my photography as a tool for empowerment, illuminating the significance of clean water access and fostering awareness and support for the fundamental human right to water." - Participating Artist

2022 IVLP Impact Award Project: Drive for Democracy

This project used visual storytelling to increase public participation in the electoral process in Nigeria. Using photography as a communication tool, the project heightened citizen awareness of their role in strengthening democracy. Ten photojournalists/documentary photographers were selected from more than 100 applicants to participate in a Masterclass, and were then mobilized to create images encouraging voters to get involved in the electoral process. The photos were displayed publicly in high traffic areas around Nigeria’s capital city Abuja.  

"This program was an eye opener for me. I did not know I could creatively contribute to democracy development." - 2022 Masterclass Participant

IVLP Exchange Experience 

Osaze participated in the IVLP Project: Promoting Social Change through the Arts, organized by the U.S. Department of State and Mississippi Consortium for International Development in 2022, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State Office of International Visitors program branch in New York City, Colorado Springs World Affairs Council. Osaze also participated in the IVLP Project: Promoting Social Change through the Arts, organized by the U.S. Department of State and by FHI 360 in 2021, in partnership with Global Ties ABQ, Global Santa Fe, WorldOrlando and Global Minnesota.

Osaze's exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project: "The locations I visited and people I met inspired me to stay resilient in my practice as an artist and art promoter, to speak up [to create] more equality and justice using the arts."

U.S. Communities Visited in 2022

Colorado Springs, CO; Washington, DC; New York City, NY

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021

Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Minneapolis, MN; Albuquerque, NM; Santa Fe, NM

"My IVLP experience broadened my mind about how the power of visual arts can shape society for good." - Osaze Efe

Country: Nigeria

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