About Us Overview
“At a time when creative industries are growing worldwide……. African artists – yearn for adequate exposure and appreciation on the international art scene. They work passionately to create authentic artworks, to inspire and transform their societies.” - Obiaeli Ezekwesili, Vice President, Africa Region, The World Bank, Africa Now, 2009.
AfricanColours is the premier internet space for the promotion of contemporary African art since 2000. With a central office in Nairobi, its work is supported by representatives in Africa, Europe & America.
Our Vision & Mission:
AfricanColours works towards a viable contemporary African art scene that is internationally recognised and technologically savvy. AfricanColours does so by connecting artists and engaging the art industry through leveraging technologies, offering cultural experiences in and creating value for contemporary visual arts in Africa”.
Our Core Values:
- Creativeness/Innovation
- Quality/accuracy
- Integrity/ impartiality
- Cultural diversity
Since the mid 1980’s, interest in contemporary art with roots in post colonial Africa has been growing. Events such as the Dak’art Biennial of Contemporary African Art, collections such as the Pigozzi Collection of Contemporary African Art and the Africa Now exhibition of the World Bank bear witness to the growing interest. Initiatives such as the Arterial network, ‘Art Moves Africa’ and ‘Imagine Africa’ are contributing to strengthening awareness of African Art and support to African artists and creative industries as well as advocating for appropriate policies at national and international levels.But despite this focus, contemporary African art remains a niche market and much needs to be done to bring it to a wider audience, both at home and abroad.
Information on the much wider pool of African contemporary artist’s remains fragmented. Only a few, mainly Western-trained African artists have reached levels of international acclaim. Many thousands of artists remain on the continent with little opportunity for exhibiting their works and exchanging with other artists across the continent. Europe and North America remain the goal for many African artists to perfect their skills and gain recognition. The wide opportunity of sharing and learning across African countries and hence stimulating creativity on the continent is frequently neglected.
Many potential artists on the continent lack stimulation from an educational system that is not equipped enough to support creativity coupled with lack of institutions for professional growth and job opportunities in an underrepresented creative industries sector.
To date AfricanColours has been able to raise the profile of over 300 African Artists in the continent and in the Diaspora.
Organisational Structure:
AfricanColours is a limited company incorporated under the Kenya Companies Act. It is supervised by a non-executive board. The Board's responsibility is to guide AfricanColours' long-term strategy and leverage the strength of its members for the benefit of the organisation.
The Board consists of five members appointed by the board members in consultation with the executive director. They represent internationally recognised expertise in art, media, marketing, social development, ICT and law. The board has a minimum of three sittings per year.
Country Representatives:
To ensure comprehensive coverage of artists and art events on the continent and to give a wide audience of stakeholders in the art scene a chance to follow the trends and progress made in this sector, AfricanColours works with country or regional representatives.
These individuals represent and promote AfricanColours in their own regions in agreement with the main office.
These representatives are also art practitioners or journalists with a strong knowledge of regional and national developments in the visual arts as well as with a track record of writing on the arts. They are bilingual (English/French, Arabic/English, Portuguese/English) where appropriate to facilitate communication.
Activities:
AfricanColours' commitment goes beyond the internet. Our office in Nairobi supports a number of innovative programmes such as the commissioning of public art works. Gallery Walks, exhibitions, a residency programme for visiting artists from the Diaspora and other African countries. In addition AfricanColours is about to start publishing a quarterly magazine “ArtAfrica” with the sole aim of escalating the promotion of African artists and their works.
We invite all those interested in fostering Contemporary African art to partner with us in bringing art to both new and old audiences, creating opportunities in the arts and raising awareness around African creative’s on the continent and beyond.
It’s our hope that this website pushes the continent one step forward in the creation of new markets for contemporary African art.
(1) Southern, Eastern, West, Central and Northern Africa
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to topThe Team
Maggie Otieno
Position: General Manager
Maggie Otieno is an established artist whose sculpting career spans 14 years. Maggie is Diploma holder in Art and Design. A full time artist until 2007, Maggie joined the AfricanColours team to help build a platform for contemporary African art and artists. Her contribution to the promotion of Contemporary African artists and their art is without a doubt a crucial addition to the core values and ambitions of AfricanColours.com. Currently Maggie manages the activities of AfricanColours in Africa.
David Kaiza
Position: East Africa Correspondent
David Kaiza is a Ugandan writer and journalist. He has been an art and literary critic since 1996. His special interests in the two subjects - he was a student of both. Both a writer as well as fine artist himself (working on leather and metals), Kaiza is currently finalising work on his first book, a work of fiction. He has been a writer for AfricanColours.com since 2008, covering mostly the East African region.
Caroline Kaminju
Position: South Africa Correspondent
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Caroline Kaminju is a Kenyan photographer and a contributor to AfricanColours.com. She is in possesion of a Certificate of Photography and Audio Visual Technology from the Kenya Polytechnic and a Diploma in Photojournalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Berlin. In 2009, she completed a one year photojournalism and documentary photography course at the Market Photo Workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa.
John Owoo
Position: West Africa Correspondent
Educated at the Ghana Institute of Journalism and the Indian Institute of Mass Communications, Owoo has been working as a freelance cultural journalist since 1997. His deep interest in art journalism has enabled him to make significant contributions to AfricanColours.com. His diverse knowledge of the arts can be seen in his numerous writting contribution in newspapers, magazines and websites in several parts of the world.
Ben Bukenya
Position: Uganda Correspondent
Ben holds a Bachelor of Industrial and Fine Arts from Makerere University, Kampala Uganda. Currently practicing as a media and visual communication specialist with background training in information systems management, multimedia design, critical writing and media issues. He is associated with network activities for artists since 2002 and reporting for AfricanColours.com since then. Ben is part time mixed media painter and sculptor as well.
Stephen Garan'anga
Position: Zimbabwe Correspondent
Stephen is a multi talented artist who amongst various capabilities uses visual art as the vehicle through which he explores the aspirations, the dreams and the threats inherent within and beyond the geographic, political, racial, cultural boundaries of his identity, country and continent. Stephen also writes for AfricanColours.com, covering events and issues in the contemporary Zimbawean art scene.
Mwalimu George Ngwane
Position: Cameroon Correspondent
Mwalimu George Ngwane is a cultural professional, author and feature essayist in National and International newspapers. He is Chairman of the National Book Development Council, Cameroon, Executive Director of AFRICAphonie (www.Africaphonie.org) and member of the Advisory Board of the African Book Publishing Record, Columbia, U.S.A. He is a Scholar at Risk Fellow (2004) and Chevening Fellow 2010. He has a personal blog (www.gngwane.com) and has organised and attended culture-related functions in and out of Cameroon. George also contributes regularly to AfricanColours.com
Collin Sekajugo
Position: Rwanda Correspondent
Collin Sekajugo is on mission of “Using Art to Change Lives”. Over the last three years these words have become more than a credo for the self taught artist, who has dedicated himself to founding Ivuka Arts Kigali: an ambitious project that aims to develop Rwanda’s contemporary art by honing the skills of promising young artists and providing a platform for their exposure both locally and internationally.
Larry Bate Takang
Position: The Netherlands Correspondent
Larry is a Rotterdam based Cultural Journalist and author of three books. He is Founder/Executive Director of Africa Press International (API) and Editorial Director of African Celebrities Magazine. He bags 16 years experience in Radio, TV and hundreds of published Newspaper, Magazine articles. He also trained in Radio Programs Production and Private Radio Management at RFI Paris. He has a strong passion for arts and culture.
Faye Ekong
Position: Consultant: Capacity Building & Management
Faye Ekong is a trainer/consultant based in the Eastern and Southern Africa region focused on enhancing the management capacities of organizations and their staff. Her services are practical, proactive and participative tailored to the specific needs of the client. She has worked with a range of actors from the public, private and development sector in Africa.
Sophie Alal
Position: Uganda Correpondent
Sophie is a Kampala based freelance writer and part time independent researcher. After studying law at Makerere, she embarked on fulfilling a latent interest in art and cultural journalism in order to preserve the spirit of the times. Sophie has been contributing to AfricanColours.com since 2009.
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