AUDITIONS for Art Rwanda-Ubuhanzi have reached a decisive stage with Kigali becoming the latest and final stop. Contestants from the three districts of the City of Kigali namely Gasabo, Kicukiro and Nyarugenge are now gathering at the Rwanda Art Museum located in Kanombe, before a panel of six judges comprising rapper Riderman, singer and actress Shanel Nirere, poet and actress Malaika Uwamahoro, plastic artist Pascal Bushayija, fashion designer Laurene Rwema, who owns Uzi Collection, as well as actor and filmmaker Mazimpaka Kennedy. The same jury has been looking for outstanding talents in different art categories during nationwide auditions which began in Eastern Province. The judges decide who passes or is eliminated based on quality assessment of the talent displayed. They have so far selected 62 contestants from Eastern Province, 46 from Western Province, 64 from Southern Province and 38 from Northern Province before making Kigali the last stop for the auditions in Kigali City. A total of 90 contestants are auditioning in Kigali in a three-day selection going on from Tuesday September 13 to Thursday, September 15 at the Rwanda Art Museum located in Kanombe. At least 30 contestants auditioned on Tuesday and the same number is auditioning today while another 30 will audition on Thursday, the last and decisive day during which the judges will announce who passed the auditions. After the auditions, all the contestants selected nationwide will contest on the national level in a crucial selection that will see the number drop to 138 contestants. They will then go for a one-week boot camp during which they will be given mentorship and standard materials for them to further showcase their talent in a professional manner. It’s after the boot camp that the jury will select the 60 finalists, including 10 from each of the six art categories namely dance and music, fashion, acting and drama, photography and cinematography, literature and plastic arts. The winners from each category will be announced during a grand finale scheduled for end October but all the 60 finalists will go for a one-year incubation. The incubation process is aimed at talent development and mentorship, employment generation and artworks commercialization, creation and development of sustainable, globally competitive artists that contribute to the accelerated growth of the Rwandan economy. ArtRwanda-Ubuhanzi is a project that seeks to identify young artistic talent across a wide spectrum of art disciplines, and offer them the requisite skills and tools to not only hone their respective talents but also become creative entrepreneurs. Themed “Nurture Your Talent”, the contest consists of a televised nationwide search and mentorship programme for creative youth in six categories (Music and Dance, Fashion, Acting and Drama, Photography and Cinematography as well as Literature and Plastic).
