Edo Poly Festival of Arts

*Edo Poly Arts Festival: Unveiling Innate Cutural Expressions*

Poised to exploit the arts and culture potentials in Ovia communities, the Edo State Polytechnic, Usen, is organizing the maiden edition of the *Edo State Poly Festival of Arts* , a bespoke cultural display that puts the art and culture of its host and surrounding communities on the spot for the world to appreciate.

The festival, slated to hold from *September 23 to 24,* will feature visual arts, carnival, as well as performing and literary arts produced by a mix of people, including students, indigenes of host community, indigenes of other communities in Ovia and others in the Diaspora.

The festival is a platform to showcase the artistic expression of communities in Ovia, which straddles two local government areas in Edo State, namely Ovia North East and Ovia South West Local Government Areas.

Ovia is derived from Ovia River, regarded as the biggest river in Edo State.

As a polytechnic with a mandate to promote technology and innovation, the Edo State Polytechnic is leveraging this platform for multi-disciplinary exchange as the institution has not lost sight of the fact that it is domiciled in a state that is widely reputed to be the *cultural capital of Nigeria – Edo State.*

The art scene in Ovia communities is influenced by the peculiarities of the environment. With communities lying close to an expansive river, the people have over time come to evolve artistic and cultural expression that feed from their daily dealings along the water bodies. Hence, the riverine cultures, complete with dances associated with fishermen, cuisines, dresses, fashion, art pieces, among many others will be on display.

Dotted with a thick, enthralling forest belt, Ovia also plays host to the Okomu Forest Reserve amid small forest enclaves and creeks. Hence, hunters in the community will also put up displays capturing their peculiar culture, as gleaned from their peculiar lifestyle in the mangroves and the peculiar ceremonies used in reverence and adoration of trees and hunting.

There are also exotic ceremonies such as the Ovia Masquerades, which is sacred to the Ovia people, a reverence to the river goddess. This is characterized by dances and sacred songs, which are sung only during the festival. The ceremony is believed to create a sense of shared responsibility among men and women in Ovia community. The Festival of Arts presents an opportunity to learn about and appreciate this cultural phenomenon which bestrides present-day discourse on gender equality, feminism and peace-building.

*We warmly welcome you to Ovia.*

*EDO POLY FESTIVAL OF ARTS COMMITTEE*
_Edo State Polytechnic Usen._
_P. M. B 1104, Benin City_