By: Jerrywright Ukwu
Setting up a business in the art industry in Nigeria is no easy feat. It takes a lot of hard work, patience and dedication with the mass of people and personalities that come with it.
Bolanle Austen-Peters is breaking new grounds in the industry as she has become the first Nigerian woman to build a private theatre in Nigeria.
Austen-Peters who is the founder of Terra Kulture, a leading art, culture, lifestyle, and educational Centre located in Lagos, Nigeria, has said that the facility is a premier recreational destination.
With her involvement in the arts, Austen-Peters noticed that there was an absence of spaces and resources for artists, thespians and theatre enthusiasts to thrive and decided to do something about it.
This gave rise to the birth of Terra Kulture Arena a 400-seater, state of the art theatre.
The theatre, which also doubles as a movie-screening venue, will host a range of shows, plays and musicals when it opens.
It will also have the challenging role of providing Lagos, its environs, and Nigeria as a whole with a wide schedule of theatre, comedy, music and dance.
Born into the family of Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), Bolanle started out as a lawyer in her father’s firm and then proceeded to work with the United Nations.
Her specialty in International Law was not relevant in Nigeria when she moved back in 2003 so she decided to follow her passion in theatre and literature.
She started Terra Kulture with a vision to create an artistic space to celebrate Nigeria’s music, literary arts, food and clothing, a space that would capture the essence of Nigeria’s culture and would be accessible to locals and foreigners alike.
