FARIDA ATANDA
Live Cultural Event Producer & Creative Director
Bachelor of Laws (LL.B)
Common Law (2018)
University of Ilorin, Nigeria
Applies rigorous structural contract governance, intellectual property curation, and institutional compliance to complex cultural staging.
Curatorial Engagements
Available for festival creative direction, sovereign cultural commissions, and visual art curation across the UK and internationally.
Initiate Production Brief →TRANSLATING HERITAGE INTO CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC CONTEXTS
Farida Atanda is a UK-based live cultural event producer and creative director whose practice explores African heritage through multidisciplinary cultural production. Working across live performance, exhibitions, ceremonial traditions and participatory programming, she develops projects that bring traditional cultural practices into contemporary public contexts.
Holding a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B in Common Law) from the University of Ilorin (2018), Farida uniquely bridges the worlds of structural discipline, institutional governance, and artistic vision. Her legal background provides a rigorous framework for managing complex international productions, negotiating multi-stakeholder cultural partnerships, and executing large-scale staging with contractual precision.
Multidisciplinary Creative Practice
Her creative practice is grounded in deep respect for African cultural memory and historical accuracy, while pioneering modern presentation methods that engage diverse contemporary audiences across the UK, Nigeria, and Ghana. Her portfolio encompasses four primary disciplines:
Concept development, artistic direction, and full-scale technical delivery of multidisciplinary live performance.
Large-scale heritage festivals, community arts programmes, and public celebrations connecting diverse audiences.
Fine art exhibitions, material culture symposia, and textile fairs bridging historical heritage with modern art.
Sovereign ceremonial presentations, traditional wedding showcases (Alaga / Igbo nuptials), and oral storytelling.
Selected Directorial Engagements
Farida’s directorial portfolio includes major public productions such as:
- Traders Fair & Cultural Showcase (Sheffield, UK, 2026): Directing an expansive diaspora trade and artisan heritage showcase in Yorkshire.
- Igbo Nuptials Showcase 2.0: UK Edition (Sheffield, UK, 2025): Staging an authentic celebration of Igbo traditional matrimonial customs and ceremonial performance.
- Pan-African Royal Nuptials & Alaga Showcase (Accra, Ghana, 2023): Directing a landmark cross-cultural staging at the National Theatre of Ghana.
- Beyond the Bronze: Modern Benin Art Exhibition (Lagos, Nigeria, 2022): Curating a major contemporary visual art and sculpture exhibition at Adeline Gallery.
- National Festival of Arts & Culture (NAFEST, Nigeria): Lead production and creative direction for arena-scale national cultural ceremonies.
CURATORIAL METHODOLOGY & PRODUCTION RIGOUR
Farida Atanda’s creative practice combines the expressive power of live African performance with meticulous structural governance, strict contractual compliance, and cultural authenticity.
Legal & Governance Discipline
Leveraging her LL.B training in Common Law to establish institutional-grade production contracts, IP attribution for traditional artisans, and seamless stakeholder alignment.
Material Culture Authenticity
Direct collaboration with traditional weavers, bronze-casters, oral historians, and master drummers to ensure historical fidelity in all live presentations.
Cross-Border Staging
Orchestrating live staging operations across the UK, Nigeria, and Ghana, connecting diaspora communities with premier national cultural institutions.
PRESS COVERAGE & HONOURS
“Turning 'brain-drain' to cultural advantage”
Comprehensive feature by Edozie Udeze analyzing Farida Atanda’s academic background in Law (LL.B, University of Ilorin, 2018) and her creative practice delivering the Traders Fair in Sheffield and Igbo Nuptials Showcase.
“Pan-African Royal Nuptials & Alaga Showcase in Accra”
Report by Michael Adesina documenting Farida Atanda’s cross-border directorial engagement at the National Theatre of Ghana, staging Yoruba matrimonial ceremonies and sovereign traditions.
Scream Honours & AFRI-BALL Leadership
Covered in Vanguard News (August 14, 2026), Farida Atanda was recognized for creative direction and live cultural production at the Scream Awards and honoured at The AFRI-BALL.
