Union Bank announces Centenary Art Challenge

As part of its 100^th year anniversary celebrations Union Bank Plc. has announced the kick-off of the Union Bank Centenary Art Challenge, a competition designed to promote works of professional and amateur Nigerian artists across the country. The competition is coordinated in partnership with the Nigerian Guild of Artists and will run from June to September 2017.

The competition challenges artists to interpret the iconic Union Bank stallion which has been the mainstay of the bank’s identity over the past century. In 2015, Union Bank redesigned the stallion to reflect a more agile and energetic institution following its transformation. Artists have been given reign to interpret the stallion using all forms of art.

Speaking at the launch event on Friday, May 26, 2017 at the MyDrim Gallery in Lagos with invited guests which included renowned artists, patrons, and art critics, Union Bank Chief Executive Officer, Emeka Emuwa said: "Union Bank has a storied history in Nigeria and our 100^th anniversary is a unique opportunity to tell our story to different audiences. Artists are storytellers and this competition presents an opportunity for this community to help us tell our story from the vantage of our iconic white stallion. We are excited to celebrate the many stories that will come across through the works that will be entered in the competition.”

Also at the event, Head of Corporate Affairs & Corporate Communication, Ogochukwu Ekezie-Ekaidem said: “Talent development is one of our social responsibility focus areas and this competition is another initiative for Union Bank to impact in this area. We strongly believe that through the arts we can spur creativity and innovation in young people.”

Entries will be accepted across the country in various regions and a distinguished panel will shortlist the final hundred works which will compete at the finale. Monetary prizes will be awarded to the finalists and the ultimate winners will receive N1 million naira in the professional category and N250,000 in the student category. More details on the competition and how to enter can be found here www.unionbankng/100.

Union Bank is marking its centenary under three broad themes – Celebrate, Impact and Lead. In April the bank also announced the Union Bank Centenary Innovation Challenge, a nationwide competition to find and support young entrepreneurs developing sustainable business solutions to solve social problems in Nigeria was launched in partnership with Co-Creation Hub.