Zaria Art Society
Between 1958 and 1959 Nigeria was about to attain independence and there was a new spirit of awareness and awakened sense of nationalism. Artists during this period responded to a new challenge of artistic expression which helped to inspire nationalist ideals. It was during this period that a group of students in the Nigerian College Arts Science and Technology (NCAST) came together to form the Zaria Art Society.
The Zaria Art Society represents the historical beginning of an artistic movement that developed into distinctive individual influences that eventually filtered down into various artistic locations throughout Nigeria and beyond her shores. The foundation they laid has had an immeasurable   impact on the history of modern Nigeria art.

The Birth of the Society of Nigerian Artists
The Zaria Art Society folded up in 1961 when most of its founding members graduated. By 1963 members of this society regrouped with a few other artists to metamorphose into another society known as the Society of Nigerian Artists (SNA). The society was inaugurated in January 1964 with the headquarters in Lagos. To become a member of the Society of the Nigeria Artists during its formative years was extremely difficult because of the strict requirement.
It is the umbrella body of all Nigerian contemporary professional artists.

Aims and Objectives of the SNA
The objectives for which the Society is established amongst others are:

-To create a forum in Nigeria for professional artists and sustain permanent contacts between them.

-To encourage and further individual artists efforts in Nigeria and make art available to sections of population which have lived outside its influence up to the present.

-To improve the economic and social position of artists at the national level and to defend their material and moral rights

-To protect and promote Nigerian artistic heritage by fostering the understanding and appreciation of the Arts in Nigeria, by upholding a high standard in efficiency in Art, and defending the moral and material interests of artists in Nigeria.

-To serve as a clearinghouse of recent art information, publicizing developments and discoveries by artists in aesthetic, technical and sociological aspects of their work and findings of important international meetings affecting their lives.

-To present to the Government in Nigeria the views of the Society on any legislative enactment or proposed legislation on any subject of concern or interest to artists in Nigeria and if considered advisable to join with any bodies in submitting such representation.

-To seek representations in organizations connected with Art in Nigeria such as the National Gallery of Art, National Councils for Art and Culture, National Commission for Museums and Monuments, and in Academic Institutions of Art.

-To provide a body to which the Government or other official/unofficial authorities or organizations in Nigeria can have recourse for advise, assistance or expression of views on any subject of concern of interest to artists in Nigeria.

-To provide for or facilitate the training and examination of students in art and give facilities for the reading of artistic papers; for visiting places of artistic interest: the delivery of lectures and for acquisition dissemination of useful information connected with the profession by publication of books, journals and periodicals on all matters directly or indirectly affecting the society.

-To educate Nigerian masses artistically and propagate Nigerian culture and artistic heritage both within and outside Nigeria

-To stimulate national cultural co-operation, free from any political or other bias among Nigerian artists.

-To establish in Nigeria whenever thought necessary for the interest of the Society, art galleries, and to organize exhibitions of works of art for social, musical, theatrical and other entertainment, and for lectures and other purposes whether of like or of a different kind, which may seem expedient.
The first executive of the Society included such eminent, conscientious and highly principled artist like
Yusuf Grillo, President,  Tayo Aiyegbusi, Vice-President, , T.A. Fasuyi, Secretary,  J.Owei, Financial Secretary,  Solomon Wangboje, Publicity Secretary, Simon Okeke, Assistant Secretary, M. A. Ajayi, Ex-Officio, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Ex-Officio, Peter Omo-Erese, J. K. Oyewole, James Nkobi, Adekoya Ajepe, Bode Fasuyi, Isiaka Osunde, Godfrey Okolo, G. Okiki, E. I. Adenuga, Israel Ala, A.O. Olaleye, Ayo Ajayi, and J. Onikoro.

In 1964 others joined including, Festus Idehen, Afi Ekong, Felix Idubor and Erabor Emokpae.

Upon the proposal sent by the Society to the government, a National Art Exhibition was organised as part of the Independence Anniversary Celebration for that year. That was the first exhibition of the Society. This was the year that such artists like Abayomi Barber, S. O. Olukoya, E. Okechukwu, Okaybulu among other joined SNA. Since then the Society has grown in leaps and bounds with membership spread across the country.

The first executive of the Society included such eminent, conscientious and highly principled artist like
Yusuf Grillo, President,  Tayo Aiyegbusi, Vice-President, , T.A. Fasuyi, Secretary,  J.Owei, Financial Secretary,  Solomon Wangboje, Publicity Secretary, Simon Okeke, Assistant Secretary, M. A. Ajayi, Ex-Officio, Bruce Onobrakpeya, Ex-Officio, Peter Omo-Erese, J. K. Oyewole, James Nkobi, Adekoya Ajepe, Bode Fasuyi, Isiaka Osunde, Godfrey Okolo, G. Okiki, E. I. Adenuga, Israel Ala, A.O. Olaleye, Ayo Ajayi, and J. Onikoro.

In 1964 others joined including, Festus Idehen, Afi Ekong, Felix Idubor and Erabor Emokpae.

Upon the proposal sent by the Society to the government, a National Art Exhibition was organised as part of the Independence Anniversary Celebration for that year. That was the first exhibition of the Society. This was the year that such artists like Abayomi Barber, S. O. Olukoya, E. Okechukwu, Okaybulu among other joined SNA. Since then the Society has grown in leaps and bounds with membership spread across the country.

SNA ZONES AND CHAPTERS
The Society’s Constitution recognises four zones, West, East, Middle Belt and North, into which the chapters are grouped:

WEST: Delta, Edo Lagos, Ogun, Ondo and Oyo state chapters.

EAST: Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Cross-River, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers State chapters.

MIDDLE BELT; Adamawa, Benue, FCT, Kogi, Kwara, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba and Abuja

NORTH: Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Gombe, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara State.

The Society organises at regular intervals seminars, workshops, round table discussions etc, for the benefit of its members and other stakeholders.