(from left): Kuona Trust Director Sylviah Gichia, Barclays Bank of Kenya Managing Director, Dr. Jeremy Awori and L’Atelier art competition qualifier Jackie Katuri
Every year, Barclays holds an art competition that is open to artists between the ages of 21 and 35. Previously, the competition has only ran in South Africa. However, this is set to change as Barclays has opened up the competition to artists in Botswana, Ghana, Zambia Kenya and the original South Africa.
Wambui Kamiru, Jackie Karuti, Moral Bolouri, Brian Omolo, Cyrus Kabiru and Kevin Irungu will be competing with 102 other artists from across Africa in the Barclays L’Atelier Art Competition that will take place on the 15th of July in South Africa. The 6 were selected in Barclays’ partnership with Kuona Trust.
The competing artists stand a chance to win cash prizes and fellowship opportunities in France, Germany and South Africa. The overall winner gets a six month sabbatical at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris, a KSH 1.2 million cash prize and a solo exhibition at the Absa Gallery. Absa gallery has the second largest art collection in the world.
The winner will also get a two month residency at Sylt, Germany and a three month residency at the Bag Factory in Johannesburg. However, this last merit award is only available to non South Africans. The prizes are inclusive of airfare.
Meanwhile, Barclays is running the Barclays’ L’atelier Art Exhibition at the National Museums from the 1st through 6th of April. More on the competition can be found here.