EU Youth Art Exhibition winners to receive fully-paid mentorship 

Lydia Sarah, Meta Richard, and Feti Michael emerged as winners of the EU Youth Art Exhibition held at Alliance Francaise in Kampala.

The youth art campaign was launched by the European Union and Faces Up Uganda, a non-profit organization empowering youth through art during the 2023 World Refugee Day celebrations, and targeted three refugee settlements; Rhino Camp, Imvepi and Bidi Bidi.

Overall, 682 young people aged between 8 and 21 took part where experts took the young artists through guided sessions to create art along specific themes including empowerment and self-reliance, environmental protection, governance and leadership, and access to justice and protection for peaceful and prosperous communities.

Eventually, 46 finalists were selected with the top three winners all set to receive a fully paid-for mentorship from renowned visual artist Alex Motiv Kwizera at his art studio based in Kampala.

“We are passionate about empowering young people to become active citizens and strongly believe in the power of art as a platform to give a voice to young people,” said EU Ambassador Jan Sadek. “With incredible creativity, this exhibition portrays stories of hope from the youth of West Nile”.

“We are delighted to offer the top 3 winners the opportunity to undergo an accelerated art mentorship with celebrated visual artist Kwizera, who will provide hands-on training to these young aspiring artists,” Sadek added. 

According to the statement, since 2016, the EU has committed over €400 million in development and humanitarian assistance to Uganda’s refugee response. Currently, there are about 1.5 million refugees, the majority of whom are children facing various challenges including compromised mental health, the threat of lost childhood, lack of access to quality education and services, as well as shifting family dynamics and responsibilities.

“Young people are disproportionately affected by the refugee crisis, exposing them to various risks. Providing safe spaces where they can refine their artistic skills and also express themselves allows them to channel their energy and creativity,” said Sadek.

15-year-old Meta Richard said the exhibition has enabled him to use professional art supplies which enabled him to express his creativity as well as receive immeasurable expert advice.

“At Faces Up, we believe in the power of art to empower young people from underserved communities. We are pleased to collaborate with the EU on this initiative, which has provided the youth with art supplies and artistic mentorship. We hope it will inspire them to nurture their passion and pursue art as a viable career path,” said Emmanuel Ssekitto, Team Leader, Faces Up Uganda.

The EU will showcase the virtual exhibition online, accessed via https://store.facesup.org/eu-youth-art-competition/