Image: Kiss 100
Artcaffe is under siege after trying to come through for the youth in Kenya.
So they decided to announce that they have a competition to help artists (painters) by giving them an opportunity to get exposure featuring on their coffee cups and the walls of their various branches.
"ANNOUNCING our #ARTofthecity competition! Calling all creatives of the city...help us jazz up our take-away coffee cup and WIN BIG with Artcaffé! Read the competition details by clicking the link in our bio or visiting our Facebook page to enter. Tag your artistic friends and spread the word! 🎨. First price is: exhibition space in one of our restaurants for 2 months OR an internship with the Artcaffe Design Team for 2 months. AND FREE coffee for a year!"
Image: Instagram
Their form of awarding did not go so well. This opened up a whole trending hashtag and a lot of hate/trolls. The youth do not want to be paid with exposure and Kamene is with them.
"Exposure will not pay my bills!" Angry Kamene says.
Jalas, on the other hand, is 100% for this idea.
"That is amazing wow. If you're not in the creative industry then do not troll Artcaffe. Kamene let me tell you, were it not for exposure a bag of chips and greetings, I would not be here with you. They have given you the chance to hang your painting in all their branches. The chance you would get and money after your art is seen, loved and bought will not amount to the money they were to pay you. What comes next is worth more than that one time pay." Jalang'o shared
Image: Kiss 100
Adding that,
"Let's say like Churchill you have seen the artistes saying they have been underpaid but see what they have done with that exposure. We have seen artistes ask to curtain raise so that they can just be seen and known.
The people who love art will present themselves and imagine there is a guy having coffee who will be so excited and ask who did this, and then want to purchased or employ them. You have seen the clientele at Artcaffe. So the exposure will help that artiste earn more."
Kamene who has always stood up for the youth was still not in agreement with what this initiative has to offer.
"My problem is that they will use their cup, hang their painting and then give them free coffee for a year? The year has been hectic and artists have been complaining of this thing called exposure which may or may not work. It is unfair and the way this is a big franchise is paying the youth is with coffee? And the government has old people sitting there no. Exposure will not pay my bills, period."
Image: Kiss 100
Jalas even went further to give her a very recent example, Azziad.
"Let's talk about Azziad, all she did was push her dance videos and now she is all over from series to adverts and even has a rate card. It all started with exposure.
Traffic at Artcaffe is 100% more than traffic at an art gallery and that is how it will help if they give you more millage. Art in Kenya is a hard career to penetrate and earn. So until it is exposed, no one will see and buy so this is an opportunity for you."
Kamene's cry is simply that if the government cannot provide jobs for the youth then the private sector should at least try and fill that gap.
Image: Instagram
"There are no jobs from the government so we run to the private sector and they say there is a lot of opportunities but they pay you with exposure and now how will I pay my bills and survive until say 3 months when someone sees my art and decide to buy and all I am getting is a cup of coffee?"
"People pay for exposure with all these expos going on in malls. I rest my case and that is my stand come kill me but I support Artcaffe's initiative. "Jalas concluded the discussion.
