Artistes should capitalise on copyright laws – top designer

Rwandan artistes have continued to appeal to the government to fully apply the existing intellectual property laws to fully protect their rights. Despite a recent act passed by the government, majority of musicians, composers, authors, filmmakers and visual artists, as well as the general public are still uninformed about intellectual property laws. While Kamichi, a renowned singer, sees a bright future in the application of intellectual property laws, fashion designer, Patrick Muhire urges artistes to capitalise on the laws to protect their creations accordingly. “It’s really a shame that some people just cannot make their own creations, but instead wait to steal other people’s ideas, and plagiarism is also increasing,” Muhire observes. “I design a piece, only to realise that someone has already stolen my idea and the material is already on the market.” He notes that there is need for sensitisation, as many artistes are still unaware about the importance of the copyright laws. “We earn a living out of our composition and creations, so if we don’t embrace the copyright laws, we will continue losing not only financial resources but also our rights to our properties,” laments Jean de dieu Gatera, an upcoming visual artist. Muhire, who is based at Inkanda House, deals in outfits for ceremonies such as beauty pageants, as well as introduction and wedding ceremonies. linda.mbabazi@newtimes.co.rw

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Artistes should capitalise on copyright laws – top designer