Minister of Youth and Arts Dr. Jean Nepo Abdallah Utumatwishima had commended Imbuto Foundation for its commitment to supporting art and its vision of talent inclusiveness across the country. Imbuto Foundation has been celebrating young artists who have shown excellence in different fields through ArtRwanda-Ubuhanzi programme. It is a journey that the foundation has been walking through in partnership with major stakeholders including the Ministry of Youth and Arts, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the European Union. A second cohort of 60 artists who have successfully completed one year under the ArtRwanda –Ubuhanzi Project's incubation programme, graduated on Friday, December 06, at Kigali Convention Centre. “Regardless of your education and family background, you can be part of ArtRwanda Ubuhanzi. This emphasizes the foundation's inclusive approach,” said Utumatwishima. While acknowledging the challenges artists face in pursuing their dreams and the struggles artists endure to achieve their goals, Utumatwishima called on the public to support artists “with love and kindness.” He strongly encouraged artists to register their work to protect their intellectual property, a legal step which he believes would ensure that no one could play Rwandan songs or sell films without proper compensation. The ministry, he said, is collaborating with various institutions to develop a unified creative arts program. As part of this initiative, they plan to mandate at least one artist performance at every event. ALSO READ: PHOTOS: Art Rwanda-Ubuhanzi 3rd edition launched Addressing graduates and artists directly, he advised maintaining professional dignity and avoiding online conflicts. He warned that engaging in negative internet discourse not only reflects poorly on one's character but could also lead to legal consequences. Over 1,700 contestants participated in the second edition of ArtRwanda-Ubuhanzi. However, only 60 were able to go to the boot camp. A short movie “Waving Bonds” whose story reflects on the relationship art has to people was screened at the event in line of celebrating art. The film was created and directed by James Musafiri, one of the graduates. “After graduating at University of Rwanda, I thought I was going to work in a bank but rather ended up trying my luck at ArtRwandan- Ubihanzi. I learned so much from the project’ incubation and I was able to secure a job,” said Musafiri. Musafiri is now a director at Zacu Entertainment for a famous TV series ‘City Maid’. In celebrating the milestone, the graduands performed a play called “Intambwe y’Inganzo” which showcases the power of art and how some parents tend to oppose their students from pursuing art often neglecting that it’s just a job like others. The ArtRwanda-Ubuhanzi project aims to identify and support young and talented Rwandans within the creative arts industry for job creation. The programme, held under the theme “Nurture Your Talent,” consists of a televised nationwide search and mentorship programme for creative youth in six categories namely music and dance, fashion, acting and drama, photography and cinematography, literature and plastic arts.
