U.N.: Fort Smith arts declaration has 'hallmarks of a scam'; artist pushes back

Artist Ibiyinka Alao shakes Fort Smith Mayor George McGill's hand Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at a news conference at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Artist Ibiyinka Alao shakes Fort Smith Mayor George McGill's hand Tuesday, July 6, 2021, at a news conference at the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce.

FORT SMITH -- United Nations officials say a declaration given to the city by an artist who is ostensibly an arts ambassador for the international organization could be a scam.

Ibiyinka Alao, an artist listed on the Rogers Experimental House website as the U.N. art ambassador, declared Fort Smith a "United Nations international city for artistic and cultural innovation in peace building and economic growth" with the help of Mayor George McGill at a ceremony Tuesday.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general of the U.N., said in an emailed statement Friday he is not aware of an "ambassador of the arts" in the organization. He also said the U.N. does not designate cities with the title Alao gave Fort Smith.

"This has all the hallmarks of a scam," said Dujarric. He said the U.N. legal team has been notified of the situation.

Astou Fall, who Alao in an email said works for the Office of the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the United Nations, said Friday that Alao is "named ambassador of Nigeria on art" for the U.N. Dujarric did not confirm via email by late afternoon Friday whether Fall is a U.N. worker.

Alao said he does not know Dujarric.

"They maybe don't know the history of my award and why I am the arts ambassador for the U.N.," he said. Alao is the winner of the U.N.'s International Art Competition, the Experimental House website states.

At the ceremony, Alao said Fort Smith was the 10th city in the world to receive the declaration. He said the declaration, which began in 2015, is given to cities that support the arts.

Alao cited the city's murals, many of which are painted through The Unexpected arts festival, as an example.

When asked Friday about Dujarric's statement about the declaration, Alao said it was simply his assessment. He also said the word "designation," which Dujarric used and has been used in news articles to describe the declaration, is misleading.

"It's just a declaration, which is my assessment of what a city is doing to foster the arts, use the arts as a tool for economic development and peace building," he said.

McGill on Friday declined to comment on the situation until more information is available.

Alao is a Nigerian-American artist, architect, writer, storyteller, film director and musical theater composer. His residency lasts from April 19 through July, according to the Experimental House website.

His residency is sponsored by the Tyson Family Foundation and the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce, the website states. Raymond Burns, president and chief executive of the chamber, said the chamber does not formally sponsor Alao's residency, but one of his employees is on the board of the Experimental House, he said.

Tyson's corporate office did not respond to a phone call about the situation Friday.

At the ceremony, Alao also said he'll have a yearlong artist's residency in Fort Smith. Brandon Goldsmith, director of the Fort Smith International Film Festival, said discussions about the residency were "just preliminary."

Alao said he would still like to hold an artist's residency in the city.

"It's really difficult to defend yourself when someone is claiming you're not who you are," Alao said, adding the residency depends on the city and what its people want to see happen.

Alao also said he feels bad for McGill in this situation, adding that McGill is "doing an amazing job" to improve life in the city.

Alao visited Fort Smith after meeting Goldsmith, who in May attended an Ozark Talent Bank round-table discussion in Rogers. Alao spoke at the unveiling of the film festival poster June 17 at 906 Cocktail and Cigar Lounge.

"You assume that they did their vetting," Goldsmith said.

Alao returned to Fort Smith when he was considering an artist's residency in the city. McGill also invited him to the mayor's Fourth of July fireworks celebration.

Goldsmith said he's not concerned about how the situation could impact the film festival. Like McGill, he said he couldn't comment further on the situation until more information is available.

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About the organization

The United Nations was formed in October 1945 in San Francisco, Calif.

Source: United Nations

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