Enugu Photo Festival presents an immersive exploration of Enugu’s coal mining legacy through photography art and dialogue.

This year, the theme pays tribute to Enugu’s place in Nigeria’s industrial history as we revisit the stories, triumphs and trials that the coal era imprinted the region and its people.

The exhibition brings together archival photographs, images from community photowalks and contemporary art to construct a narrative that bridges the past and present.

Through out interaction with these historic environments as visual artists and storytellers, we present an interpretation of our mind’s eye through these photographs.

Each event and photograph is carefully curated to explore how coal mining has shaped Enugu’s socio-economic identity, from the transformative days of its rail road expansion to the unyielding struggles of the coal miners who sought justice and change.

Our commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Iva Valley coal miners massacre is a significant moment of collective remembrance and honouring the resilience of those who paved the way for the rights and welfare of workers.

Through “Shades Of Coal – Revisiting Time”, the Enugu Photo Festival opens a dialogue between the past and present, inviting the audience to examine the intersection of culture, industry and community, revealing the unique “Shades Of Coal” that define the coal city.

As we navigate the images, stories and spaces that form the core of this Festival, I hope that we emerge with a renewed understanding of Enugu, not just as a city with a storied past, but as a living testament to resilience, transformation and the power of community.