Bukola Bolarinde is one of the creative minds currently making waves in the Showbiz and Entertainment industry. She is doing a lot in her own small corner discovering great talents and managing them. She is the brain behind YELLOW DOT LIMITED, a foremost Content Creation and Talent Management Company; focused on harnessing and showcasing untapped talent within the Arts, Entertainment and Sports industries.
It was founded in 2013. Many don’t know Olubukola Bolarinde is an Architect and self-taught Artist, with a keen eye for spotting talents; The company has grown organically over the past 5 years, focusing on identifying rare talent and building strategic platforms which serve as vehicles through which to display them to the world.
On the 24th of April 2018, Yellow Dot Limited was formally incorporated to engage in the field of Talent Management, Original Content Creation and Development, TV & Film Production.
Our vision is to create an enabling environment for a pool of creative minds and talents from diverse fields; to hone their skills, master their craft and impact their chosen industry and the world at large.
Yellow Dot seeks to empower upcoming, undiscovered talents by embarking on notable projects and engagements designed to create platforms from which to launch them.
In just a few months of managing some of the best emerging talents in the country, it has secured some lucrative opportunities for many rising stars, with some industry heavy hitters like Ebony Life TV and Africa Magic Productions. A couple of its visual Artists have also had their works exhibited at the prestigious Nike Art Gallery.
In May 2018, Yellow Dot Limited embarked on its foray into film production, with its inaugural project set to be released in August 2018. The entire production, which was solely funded, written, produced and directed by Yellow Dot Limited talents; is a distinct showcase of the gifted-upcoming stars we have in Filmmaking and Cinematography.
Another initiative scheduled for October 2018, was the Yellow Dot Limited’s maiden Art Exhibition, which is to be a quarterly event. At this premier event, 3 immensely talented Artists (two completely self-taught with no formal training and the third uniquely gifted with the representation of images in hyper realism) currently managed by Yellow Dot Limited; will be exhibiting their works of art.
Yellow Dot Limited currently represents 3 Artists, 6 Actors (amongst which are also seasoned Writers and Producers), one Cinematographer/Filmmaker, 2 Photographers and 2 professional dancers. Set to take the world by storm, Yellow Dot Limited is poised to establish a new standard in the structures, methods and systems deployed; to ensure that real talent is not left unexploited.
Whilst we remain resolute in our commitment to the development and display of our represented talents, beyond the attainment of their full potential within their chosen fields of expression; we strongly believe that our vision and ultimate goal of helping to launch erstwhile unknown talent will be fulfilled.
ABOUT THE CEO
Olubukola Bolarinde is an Architect with a BSc. Architecture from The Welsh School of Architecture, University of Wales, Cardiff and a Master’s degree in Environmental Design and Engineering from the prestigious Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London (UCL). She is the Head of Real Estate and Facilities Management for West Africa, in a leading. Global telecommunications company and founder and CEO of Yellow Dot Limited; an Arts, Entertainment and Sports Talent Management company created to identify and promote raw talent locally and internationally.
Olubukola believes that self-expression is key to a full and fulfilled life and launched Yellow Dot Limited not only to showcase Nigeria’s raw talents, but give expression to her own passion for supporting young artistes in optimizing their potential in their diverse fields.
As a self-taught artist, most comfortable with expression of art in acrylic and oil on canvas and ink (pen)/pencil drawings; Olubukola is naturally drawn to art in all its forms of expression. She began collecting art in 2002 when she was struck by the works of a young Artist, while on a visit to Accra and over the years has collected a number of uniquely striking pieces from local upcoming artists who were at the time, a lot more affordable than the more established; prolific Nigerian veterans .
Olubukola came across the works of one such artist, who exhibited at the Nike Art Gallery and began collecting his pieces. She was enthralled by his style of execution. She later found that like herself, the artist was self-taught with no formal art education; and embarked on a quest to meet with him. Originally only interested in finding out more about the artist’s background and how he came to hone his evident skills; she went on to collect more than 30 pieces of his artworks. In consultations with the Artist, she found that although extremely talented, he was unable to break into certain circles; much needed to drive the commercial value of his craft. Consequently, this gap led to numerous amounts of his artworks being grossly undervalued on the market. As a collector with a vested interest, she moved in to bridge the identified gap.
In 2012, she proposed a partnership with the artist, she would help connect him with viable collectors, leveraging on her network within corporate circles and her affiliation with the expatriate community in Lagos; who are avid collectors of indigenous, contemporary African Art. The partnership worked and yielded excellent results as Olubukola was able to broker a number of privately commissioned works, which the artist sold for values between 100 and 200% higher than his open market value; resulting from years of devaluing the same. The Artist was shocked at the response and also quite pleased. Olubukola continued to represent him in certain circles, providing the connect that he needed to establish his works; whilst still exhibiting with other galleries.
Following this success, Olubukola was approached by yet another self-taught artist who learnt of her interest in “Outsider Art” and proposed to her a Management Agreement for the Marketing and sale of his artworks. She was able to get this artist’s works exhibited at the renowned Nike Art Gallery in Lagos and thereafter, brokered the sale of some of his unique pieces to private investors. This partnership also proved quite fruitful for all concerned.
For the next few years, Olubukola continued with the representation of the Artists’ works, howbeit informally. She was however able to deliver excellent results that the artists’ expectations exceeded. Whilst lending on her professional experience within the Design and Construction; Banking; Oil and Gas and most recently, the Telecommunications Industries; Olubukola who had come full circle, also engaged in rendering free mentorship and advisory services to young professionals cutting across the various industries; who sought career guidance and strategic direction in their respective fields.
In March 2018, she was approached by an individual in the Entertainment industry, seeking career guidance to inform some critical milestone decisions set to propel her brand to the next level. Olubukola reached out to . her contacts within the Entertainment (specifically TV and Film) industry to secure auditions for this individual. This marked her foray into the Entertainment industry. In the same month, she was approached by a top Executive of one of the leading Networks; for help with seeking out new talent for an upcoming production. Her interview with prospective applicants, led to the discovery of a good number of exceptional talents and their eventual, formal representation.
Within a month, Olubukola had not only secured auditions for the said talents with two leading and established Networks of estimable repute within the country (MNET Africa Magic and Ebonylife TV); but also confirmed roles and executed contracts with the said networks for their upcoming productions in April and May 2018; respectively. Two of her talents were signed to MNET Africa Magic, currently shooting on location in Lagos; while another two talents have just been signed for roles in an upcoming Ebonylife TV original production and commenced shooting in July 2018.
She currently manages a total of 14 talents, comprising of three artists, one cinematographer/filmmaker, eight actors/producers/presenters/voice-over artists and two professional dancers.
A strong believer in self-empowerment Bukola does not subscribe to sitting around and waiting for opportunities to crop up but is rather resolute in her mission to enable young talent thrive and soar. She is therefore constantly creating showcase platforms for her represented talents, through initiatives such as art exhibitions, independent TV and film productions and a dance school; all solely funded by Yellow Dot limited.
YELLOW DOT PROJECTS
In the months and years to come, Yellow Dot Limited, an affiliate of Fomo Lagos, will be rolling out several projects in the various fields of arts, entertainment and sports.
It has embarked on film production with its inaugural project ‘Onidiri’, a beautifully shot short film that takes us on a journey of discovery; as a medium through which to showcase the gifted, upcoming talent we have in film making and cinematography in the country.
This short film, Onidiri, was written, produced and directed by Yellow Dot Talents. This stunning piece, set on location in Kaduna and Lagos, Nigeria; immerses us in our rich culture, bringing us to a point where diverse people and cultures meet. The unique message of unity in diversity is beautifully presented.
Another event to be showcased is ‘The Artist Reveal Project’, which is a revelation of young untapped artistic talents providing each one a unique platform to share their gift with a broad spectrum of prospects. Our vision for this project, which will hold quarterly, is at the heart of who we are as Yellow Dot Limited.
In this project, immensely talented artists (completely self-taught, with no formal training and uniquely gifted with the representation of images in hyper realism), currently managed by Yellow Dot Limited; will be exhibiting their works of art, based on different themes.
Also, owing to our belief in the early discovery and nurturing of talent at its most raw and purest form in children, the Artist Reveal Project will be embarking on a campaign to partner with schools around the country. Children from select schools around the country will be invited to participate in the quarterly week-Long exhibitions as a precursor to identifying fresh talent for a showcase dedicated to them in June 2019.
It has a Talent Management Division that brings together a pool of uniquely creative minds, all of which are
talented individuals in their chosen fields and gives an enabling environment within which they can hone their skills and master their craft. “We seek to empower upcoming talents by creating platforms from which to Launch their careers,” she says.
“Our collective years of experience in Arts and Entertainment Management uniquely positions us to engage the right art and social communities to secure the success of other undiscovered, yet talented, individuals across the country.”
“We have a diverse retinue of Talents to choose from e.g. Writers, Producers and Film makers for original content creation and development; Actors for Ad campaigns and hosting duties at events; recording artistes and professional dancers for performances at your corporate events; etc. We are confident partnering with corporate organisations will strengthen the positions of those brands as key supporters of the Arts and development of untapped talent in Nigeria.
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