[18] Notable artists who exhibited at the first edition include William Kentridge, Barthelemy Togou, Sokari Douglas-Camp, Ghana Amer, Victor Ehikhamenor, Gerald Chukwuma, Amadou Sanogo, Owusu Ankomah, Jeremiah Quarshie, and Obiageli Okigbo among others.
Notable artists included Yinka Shonibare (MBE), Zanele Muholi, Modupeola Fadugba, Nandipha Mntambo, Virginia Chihota, Boris Nzebo, Babatunde Olatunji, Pamela Phatsimo Sunstrum, Portia Zvavahera and Lakin Ogunbanwo among others.
Ben Enwonwu's masterpiece "Tutu" (1974),[19] the highest selling African artwork at auction at the time, was also exhibited at the fair, its first public showcase in Lagos in more than 40 years.
Other notable artists included Cyrus Kabiru, Sokari Douglas Camp CBE, Zanele Muholi, Paul Onditi, Victor Butler, Nike Davies-Okundaye, Tadesse Mesfin, and Aboudia, among others.
Speakers at ART X Talks, included Yinka Shonibare CBE, Chika Okeke-Agulu, Aboubakar Fofana, Peju Layiwola, HRM Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, and Meskerem Assegued.
Yusuf Grillo, Ablade Glover, Joy Labinjo, Sam Nhlengethwa, Nelson Makamo, Titza Berhanu, Jems Koko Bi, Demas Nwoko, Lady Skollie, and Uche Okeke were among the notable artists exhibited in this edition.
A key highlight of the 2020 fair was ART X Talks, which featured critically acclaimed artist Hank Willis Thomas and Opal Tometi, co-founder of Black Lives Matter.
[22] The exhibiting artists included Ouattara Watts, Aboudia, Ben Osawe, François-Xavier Gbré, Ablade Glover, Nike Okundaye Davies, Boris Nzebo, Abe Odedina, Angele Etoundi Essamba, Olu Ajayi, Wole Lagunju and Tiffanie Delune among others.
which presented the short performance film "Like Someone's Watching", a special project titled the Graveyard of Ideas, "40 Minutes with…", a series of conversations with the fair's exhibiting galleries across their various locations.
Notable speakers included Prince Yemisi Shyllon, Kavita Chellaram, Osinachi, Hakeem Adedeji, Bonaventure Soh Bejeng Ndikung, Kelani Abass, Emmanuel Iduma and Nengi Omuku.
Featured artists and commissioned projects included Victor Ehikhamenor's sculptural installation "Ulin-Noifo, The Lineage That Never Ends", Linda Dounia's digital exhibition "Once Upon A Garden", "The conversation we must have" by Matthew Eguavoen, and a special performance by Ranti Bam titled "Sowing Seeds in Hearthland".
Other presenting artists included Angèle Etoundi Essamba, Anthony Nsofor, Carl-Edouard Keïta, Austin Uzor, Blaise Vernyuy, Cecilia Lamptey Botchway, Demas Nwanna Nwoko.
The fair’s theme, The Dialogue, was a thematic departure point that explored ideas and elicited reflection, conversation, discussion, and negotiation to help the audience move towards seeing beyond the dilemmas we experience, to ways that encourage us to imagine our reality differently.
[26] At the heart of the fair, was the versatile amphitheater which symbolized the coming together of people from diverse backgrounds to celebrate the transformative power of art in the face of political and socio-economic challenges.
From Andrew Dosunmu's first solo exhibition in Africa; to a deep dive into Nigeria's historic boundary-breaking visionaries in Mark-Makers: Unsung Pioneers; to a first-of-its-kind interactive audience space, Speakers’ Corner and more.
The Access ART X Prize awards early-career artists from Africa and its Diaspora with opportunities to develop their practices, to set them up for the highest levels of success on the global stage.
[28][29] In 2018, Bolatito Aderemi-Ibitola, a multi-disciplinary artist, emerged as the winner, receiving a grant towards the execution of a solo presentation at the third edition of ART X Lagos, as well as a three month residency at Gasworks London.
alumni include the musicians Adewale Ayuba, Amaarae, Azekel, Cruel Santino, DBN Gogo, DJ Aniko, Dope Caesar, Falana, Lady Donli, Obongjayar, Odunsi the Engine, Oxlade, S-Smart, Tay Iwar, Teni the Entertainer, TMXO, Wavy the Creator and visual artists Dafe Oboro, Fahd Bello, Daberechi, AMKMQ, Joy Matashi, Williams Chechet, Dricky, Tunde Alara, Osaze Amadasun, Tomisin Akins, King Jesse Uranta and Fadekemi Ogunsanya, Niyi Okeowo, among others.