Terra Academy for the Arts (TAFTA) celebrated the artistic achievements of its latest graduating class at a ceremony held on Friday, April 11, at the Terra Kulture Arena in Victoria Island, Lagos.
Themed “Celebrating Creative Transformations,” the event marked the third graduation since the academy was launched as a social transformation project by theatre director and producer Bolanle Austen-Peters in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation.
TAFTA was established to close the skills gap and address gender imbalance in Nigeria’s creative industry, particularly in technical areas such as stage lighting, sound design and animation.
Since its inception, the initiative has trained over 30,000 young creatives through practical workshops, mentorship and enterprise support, with more than 19,000 of them securing jobs, freelance gigs and other opportunities in the entertainment space.
Speaking at the event, Austen-Peters expressed pride in the progress made so far.
Reflecting on the journey, Austen-Peters said, “When the vision came about during COVID, it was all in my head. And to think this has impacted 30,445 people so far—guys, this is the power of imagination. One person can be an agent of change. We believe in your dreams.
She also highlighted the power of theatre, saying it goes beyond performance. “Theatre gives you power, gives shape to motions, and allows us to ask questions the world doesn’t understand. Whether you are behind the lights, doing sound, writing scripts—your work matters. It speaks, it provokes, it heals,” she said.
Encouraging the graduating class, she added, “Every great play begins with a blank note and so does every great life. You now have the tools, the talent, and the training. What you write next is entirely up to you.
“TAFTA, born from the legacy of Terra Kulture, is committed to upskilling young creatives in vital technical fields and fostering gender equality,” she said.
“We are especially proud of the increasing number of women making waves in technical areas once dominated by men. We call on organisations to support and celebrate these transformations.”
The ceremony featured a keynote address by Mastercard Foundation’s Country Director in Nigeria, Rosy Fynn, alongside showcases of short films, theatre performances and social media content created by the graduating participants.
Certificates were also presented to successful trainees.
One of the graduates, Adepegba Emmanuel, described her time at TAFTA as a turning point in her creative journey.
“TAFTA truly transformed my understanding of the creative industry and my writing career,” she said.
“The programme gave me practical skills, boosted my confidence, and connected me with the right people. That led directly to my first role as a content writer.”
Others present at the event include Oluwabamike Olawunmi popularly known as BamBam, Bimbo Manuel, Amanda Jaiyeola and Olori Ameenah Matemilola, wife of Saka Matemilola, the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
TAFTA continues to push boundaries in creative education, equipping a new generation of Nigerian talent with the tools to thrive and lead in the global creative economy.
