Arts and Culture and International Relations in Nigeria

Abstract

The general objective of the study was to examine the role of arts and culture in international relations. The study pursued the following specific objectives: to examine the roles of creative and performing arts in international relations, and to examine the roles of culture (sports and games) in international relations. The study employs liberal theory and soft power theory as its backbone. The study adopted the in-depth interview. The population was drawn from all 100 employees of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA); the total population was used due to its small size. The findings revealed that the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) were actively involved in art and culture, primarily through a non-profit initiative that partners with over 2,000 cultural institutions, museums, and archives from 80 countries. The agency was involved in Performing Arts: Music, sports and dance. Visual Arts: Painting, sculpture, and photography, Festivals and Culinary Arts, Symbolic Art and Public Diplomacy. Also, there is no need to finance art and culture activities, as they do not contribute to national or international development. Based on the results, it was concluded that arts and culture play significant roles in international relations. The paper recommended that Nigeria needs to fund and sponsor the creative and performing arts to give them greater prominence and further its national interests. The use of celebrity diplomats who wield influence in their respective fields should also be considered, and global actors (leaders and institutions) should value elements of local cultures in policymaking, even for organisations doing business in foreign lands. Such considerations are essential not only in policymaking but also in doing business.