EU, Gallery Of Code Drive AI Revolution For Afro-European Creatives
EU, Gallery of Code Chart New AI Frontier for Afro-European Creatives
THE European Union (EU) has entered into a strategic partnership with Abuja-based Gallery of Code to deepen the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in empowering Afro-European creatives and preserving cultural heritage.
The collaboration, unveiled at the ongoing AI+ARTS WEEK symposium in Abuja, reflects growing recognition of AI as both a transformative creative tool and a disruptive force demanding ethical guardrails. Organisers say the week-long event is designed to bridge arts, science, technology and humanity through research, innovation and cross-sector partnerships.
At the centre of the initiative is Gallery of Code, described as Africa’s first transdisciplinary design lab merging art, science and technology. Its Chief Executive Officer, Oscar Ekponimo, said the platform was created to provide artists, designers, technologists and scientists with tools to harness AI meaningfully.
Redefining Afro-European Narratives
Ekponimo explained that the programme targets a wide spectrum of creative professionals — designers, curators, writers, technologists, scientists and cultural practitioners — with the aim of rethinking Afro-European narratives while preserving heritage and ancestral knowledge.
According to him, the intersection of AI and culture presents a unique opportunity to digitise oral histories, reconstruct endangered artefacts and reinterpret African and European artistic traditions for global audiences.
“Technology offers immense benefits,” he noted, “but we must remain cautious about its broader impact.” He cited concerns about screen exposure among young people, including his own son, as a reminder that digital transformation carries social consequences.
The partnership, he said, seeks to create a responsible AI ecosystem that supports cultural preservation without eroding human creativity.
Protecting Ownership in the Age of Algorithms
The Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, delivered a keynote address titled “Art, AI and the Human Questions,” in which he highlighted Nigeria’s vast creative output. He revealed that Nigerian creators generate between 10,000 and 15,000 original pieces of content daily across about 60 platforms, with an estimated global reach of over three billion people annually.
Asika stressed that as AI reshapes global content production, policies must ensure that creators retain ownership, intellectual property rights and economic value.
“Technology operates on the principle of ‘garbage in, garbage out,’” he said, underscoring the need for quality inputs, education and strategic implementation.
He advocated for stronger domestic platforms that would allow Nigerian creators to monetise their works more effectively, warning that while AI can amplify skilled individuals, it cannot replace talent, education or deep knowledge.
Revitalising Heritage Through Digital Reconstruction
Beyond content creation, Asika proposed that AI could revitalise Nigeria’s approximately 6,000 heritage sites through digital storytelling, virtual reconstruction and immersive experiences. Such initiatives, he argued, could enhance tourism, preserve mythology and improve national historical documentation.
However, he cautioned against viewing AI as a shortcut to instant success. “AI accelerates the skilled,” he said, adding that it cannot substitute genuine creativity.
Global Collaboration and Critical Inquiry
Ramona Van-Gansbeke of Gluon Brussels described AI+Arts Week as a platform for expertise sharing and local capacity building. She highlighted the Afropean Intelligence project, which connects European institutions with Abuja’s Gallery of Code through artistic residencies.
The project, she said, encourages critical engagement with AI while promoting Afro-European collaboration.
As AI tools increasingly shape creative industries, the EU-Gallery of Code partnership signals an attempt to balance innovation with ethical reflection — positioning Africa not merely as a consumer of technology, but as a co-author of its cultural future.
