Performing arts is a budding industry in Africa. In Lagos there are only a few galleries and theatres, only a few convenient places for Art to be expressed and expressed in full grandeur. In a country like Nigeria, filled with budding stars and telented artists, the absence of a platform for the exhibition of those qualities was disturbing. There was a void that needed to be filled and Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters filled that void with her brainchild; Terra Kulture

Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters

Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters, a world class theater producer and director has created an environment where she has produced and mentored a lot of wonderful Nigerian acts and given them a chance to excel at what they’re good at. Her brilliant work has caught the eye of the government who have partnered with her to build 6 new theaters in Lagos, a testimony to the massive success she has overseen over the years. Her work which also transcends the shore of Africa with her shows in other countries has caught the attention of the international media too, she has on multiple occasions been profiled by top journals and media houses where she has told her inspiring story. She has been profiled on CNN’s African Voices as a change maker and on CNN’s Marketplace Africa, a rare feat for a spectacular agent of change and advancement amongst the much talked about African youth. In her interviews she talked about a few things that stand out in
her work and which has helped her be the success that she is now, they are;

It is no wonder she was on the list of Forbes Africa 100 Most Influential Women in Africa for 3 consecutive years.

Mrs Austen-Peters on the set of one of her plays.

1. She is steadfast in her goal to be a mentor for young Nigerians. Mrs Austen-Peters talks about how she had to hone her skills in art virtually on her own, without guidance. She had to roam through the spaces looking for anything and everything to help her learn and better herself, and she doesn’t want other young talented Nigerians to go through this scattergun approach. Her goal has been to help young artists find their feet with as much direction as they can get. Her vast wealth of experience is an overflowing well which she’s happy to let willing Nigerian youths to fetch from and blossom.

2. Mrs Austen-Peters sees herself as a platform, just as she proudly told CNN, and she does her best to make sure she is readily available to her students with whom she shares a special bond. She works with excellence and imbibes that quality into them, this has undeniably manifested itself in the number of successful projects she has taken on and delivered. Mrs Austen-Peters started her professional life not in art but in law, she is a law and before she got into art she worked with the UNATR where she worked to help refugees in unstable regions of the world. Her selfless nature and flair for coordination also permeates into her life as a director now, in charge of plays, musicals and careers, a role which she relishes.

3. Mrs Austen-Peters wants to celebrate Nigeria and she does so through Terra Kulture. At the theatre centre Nigeria is celebrated through everything possible; through the artworks, through the music, the plays, the attires, the languages, through the food! Nigeria is the epicentre of Terra Kulture, and from the theme a lot of the goodness flows.

4. To embrace our originality. In the CNN interview Mrs Austen-Peters expresses a major concern which she seeks to address with her work. African art is appropriated in the western world while it is less celebrated here at home. Instead we tend to want to borrow from the western societies. She feels that Africa has enough glory in her works of art and it should be much more appreciated, much more enjoyed and Nigerians should be a lot prouder of Nigerian arts and culture. With her work at Terra Kulture, her display of traditional Nigerian clothing from different regions in the country, the different kinds of music used in her plays, the culture of Nigeria is fully embraced. We often complain about how our African story is wrongly told by foreigners, how our traditions are shown in a skwed light, according to Mrs Austen-Peters owning our own culture is the best way to tackle the misrepresentation. Only this way can we add our perceived value to our works, it is true this way that we can tell the world to take our identity seriously.

5. In the interview, Mrs Austen-Peters glowed with pride written all over her face when she talked about her academy which she has set up for willing students to attend, online and for free! She beamed at the idea that she set up an academy online and this is indicative of her drive to connect the past with the future. Mrs Austen-Peters is a pioneer in her field, as she works on celebrating history she also focuses on not being left out by future advancements. At Terra Kulture she has set up a 3D modelling system where traditional Nigerian attires are visualised, bringing history to life through modern technology. Along with her online academy and also her collaboration with Google to create an online gallery shows her drive to always stay abreast with modern developments.

6. Last but not the least, bravery. Mrs Austen-Peters talks a lot about bravery, it is a singular trait that has pushed her to greater heights in her career. Art in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is a daunting industry and as a woman, it takes a lot of grit and bravery to lead and create the platform she has created. Mrs Austen-Peters is never scared of a task, there is no fear in her dictionary. This is one of the reasons that helped her try her masterful hands on producing and directing on-screen movies with good success.

7. The life of Mrs Bolanle Austen-Peters can simply be described as a celebration of passion and desire to do that which the heart yearns for. A woman with a masterful stroke of genius. It was clear to see in the interview with CNN A willful learner and a ready teacher, she is a shining star, showing the light to others to find their way.