As part of King’s College London’s African Creativity Beyond Borders initiative, we are advertising a number of PhD projects: “​Bridging knowledge and expertise across the Arts and Humanities, Social Science, and Public Policy, we train future leaders in academia, the creative economy, and policy to understand, acknowledge, include, and promote the contributions of African creativity nationally, regionally and globally. We research the contemporary contribution of the African continent and the evolution of African heritage and cultures in diasporic networks. We aim to reshape future access, representation, and equity in the UK and beyond.”
The project I’m proposing at the Cultural Geo-Analytics Lab is entitled Nigerian theatre and development: mapping formal and informal spaces and audience participation through online data. It’s an exciting opportunity to study a cultural landscape through the lens of web and social media traces, at the intersection of research on theatre, development, and infrastructure in Nigeria. It addresses both formal and informal productions and venues, and the country’s geography, with a high concentration of cultural productions in Lagos and Abuja, as well as​ the spread of community/rural performances in more regional and remote locations and touring. Â
For details about the available funding and the application process, see https://www.african-creativity-beyond.org/project4.html
Application deadline: 13 February 2026
Contact Andrea Ballatore (Digital Humanities, KCL) for inquiries
Background and context: ​The dynamism of theatre in Africa is widely acknowledged in the literature and its engagement with heritage, local cultures and urban/rural challenges. This includes a thriving formal theatre scene as well as touring and community theatre, which is seen as a mirror for society (Umenyilorah, 2014) but also as an opportunity for participation that does not require formal infrastructure or significant investment. Beyond the content of the plays (which often engage with participatory and societal issues), the contexts in which they take place are also essential and frequently overlooked. Oni et al. (2025) argue that the strength of theatre lies in its subtle and non-aggressive way of engaging, which permeates the local community and ignites the change/drive that can help tackle other issues. ​There is currently no comprehensive mapping of the theatre ecosystem in Nigeria, nor its national and international reach. This project will draw on diverse and currently fragmented data sources, including records from newspapers, local cultural institutions, online event listings and websites, and social media platforms where performances are increasingly promoted and discussed. The use of geographic data science can help understand the sector’s reach and dynamics in terms of both productions and audiences. Read more
Cultural Geo-Analytics Lab 