Artcaffe has trended on twitter for more than six hours today after advertising a competition named #artofthecity. The restaurant yesterday invited entries to the art competition which would see the top winner being rewarded an exhibition space for two months or a two months internship with their design team. Additionally, the winner would get free coffee for one year.
This sparked reactions from Kenyans including media personality Ciru Muriuki who tweeted, “I’m confused. The winning artist gets coffee, exposure and an internship with your design team. If the winner is good enough to design your cups what do they need the internship for? So, the prize is coffee and unpaid labor?”
In the same light, Youtuber Patricia Kihoro tweeted, “Exposure, internship and coffee are not valid currency for creatives, or anyone else for that matter. Please take all the advice you’re being given and rethink your “competition”. It’s highly exploitative and in bad taste. Kindly!’’ she mused.
However, after outrage on twitter by Kenyans the restaurant has since announced new prizes for winners of the competition as follows:
1. A paid internship with the Artcaffe Design Team for 2 months.
2. 100,000 Ksh cash prize OR free daily coffee for a year at the artist’s choice.
3. Exhibit and sell your art in one of our restaurants for 2 months.
4. An artist’s profile on our website and posts on all social media platforms.
5. Your unique artwork and your name will be the printed design on our take-away cups.
The competition is set to run from 5th August-5th September and winners to be selected early September.
