YOUNG ARTISTS were last weekend, granted an opportunity to showcase their products, promote their creativity skills, meet their capable clients and connect. The event dubbed “Africa’s pride” was a spice of exhibition, poetry, painting and live music performance from the rising artists. The two-day exhibition began on June 4 – 5, at Isubyo House of Art, Kacyiru. According to Emily Karangwa, marketing manager at Abiru Event Planners, the brains behind the event, the purpose of the event is to showcase the outstanding gears that Rwandans are able to make, promote young talents and also to connect potential buyers and exhibitors. The exhibition also had .different designers. Photos/ Courtesy “We want to promote young artists with no platform to showcase their Made in Rwanda products,” he said. As people who work in the tourism industry, they also want to expose to the tourists to what Rwandans are capable of producing and their creativity, Karangwa added. “We wanted to do something that connects the artists and the tourists, for them to meet and interact and share ideas, relating to what our tourists like most, we came up with the event, which was another way for the artists to meet other new potential customers” Karangwa said. Seven exhibitors selected to showcase their products based on their uniqueness and productivity were from Kicukiro, Gasabo, Nyarugenge and Ruhango district, but promotion will as well continue to other districts, according to the organisers. “We want to analyse the feedback from this first edition for us to expand to other districts because our target is to reach out to every potential young talent in Rwanda while considering our company’s potential as well,” Karagwa said. Ange Mukamwiza, an exhibitor and founder of Elva shoes Ltd that makes made in Rwanda shoes from Gasabo district said, such exhibitions have contributed greatly to their business growth. “We have been able to make new connections, others got a chance to know what we do, and we are glad that some people have bought our products while others made orders for our products ” Mukamwiza stated. She adds that there is a lot going to change in her business based on what she has learnt from other exhibitors as well as the feedback from the clients. Another exhibitor, Adema Kabasire, the CEO of Basket Store Ltd, a company that works with widows and teen mothers to expound their creativity in Ruhango District, said that the exhibition has been a great experience given that it is the first exhibition that they have been privileged to attend as an organisation. As a person behind the brainstorming of what the company does, Kabasire has gained new experience that opened his eyes to the new creativities. “The art industry is growing in Rwanda and we need to get more people to invest and promote the industry, because based on this exhibition, many young Rwandans are talented and creative but there are few means to expose their good work” said Joan Green, a guest at the exhibition.
