Fine and Applied Arts as Catalysts for Entrepreneurship Development and Poverty Eradication in Benue State, Nigeria.

Abstract

This study investigated the role of Fine and Applied Arts as a catalyst for entrepreneurship development and poverty eradication in Benue State, Nigeria. The study was guided by two research questions and two corresponding hypotheses. A correlational research design was adopted to examine the relationships among Fine and Applied Arts skills, entrepreneurship development, and poverty eradication. The population consisted of 220 Fine and Applied Arts teachers across 197 public secondary schools in the state, all of whom participated in the study. Three validated instruments the Fine and Applied Arts Skills Questionnaire (FAASQ), Entrepreneurship Development Questionnaire (EDQ), and Poverty Eradication Questionnaire (PEQ) were used for data collection. Reliability coefficients, established using Cronbach’s alpha, ranged from 0.86 to 0.91, indicating high internal consistency. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation and simple linear regression at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a moderately strong positive relationship between Fine and Applied Arts and entrepreneurship development (r = .571, p < .05) and a very strong positive relationship between Fine and Applied Arts and poverty eradication (r = .852, p < .05). Regression analyses showed that Fine and Applied Arts accounted for 32.5% of the variance in entrepreneurship development and 72.6% of the variance in poverty eradication. These results demonstrate that Fine and Applied Arts education significantly contributes to self-employment, economic empowerment, and social mobility in Benue State. The study concludes that Fine and Applied Arts are not merely cultural or aesthetic pursuits but strategic instruments for sustainable development. By equipping individuals with practical skills, creativity, and entrepreneurial competencies, the Fine and Applied Arts can effectively address unemployment and poverty challenges. It is recommended that policymakers, educators, and development agencies strengthen arts education programs, integrate entrepreneurship training into art curricula, and establish creative hubs to harness the economic potential of the creative sector in Benue State and Nigeria at large.