Rwanda is set to host the East Africa Art Biennale exhibition — an event that is dedicated to the appreciation of visual art in the region. The exhibition will run from February 12 until 18 at Kigali’s Des Mille Collines.

Activities at the event will include art displays, live performances by traditional dances from the region and public discussions on art aimed at a cultural exchange.

On display will be over 100 artworks from around the region. They include paintings and sculptures.

Visual artists Serge Niyonsaba, Regine Woest and Janvier Munezero will represent Rwanda at the exhibition. There will be guest artists from outside the region. 

This year’s edition is dubbed “Art Safari” because the festival has been hosted in other countries across the region.

“We realised that when the event is hosted in only one country, some of the artists failed to attend,” said Fabiola Uwera, a representative of East Africa Art Biennale in Kigali. 

Tanzania is the main host for this year’s edition and the exhibition took place at Alliance Francais and Nafasi Art Space in Dar es Salaam last year from November 2 until 22 and at Goethe Institut in Arusha from November 28 to December 4.

It then took place in Kenya from December 22, 2017 to January 1, 2018 at Alliance Francais in Nairobi. It then moved to Uganda from February 2 until 8 at AKA Gallery in Kampala.

The Art Safari will end in Burundi from February 22 until 28 in Bujumbura.

The East Africa Art Biennale association is a non-profit, non-commercial, non-governmental organisation registered since January 2003 with the Tanzanian National Council of Arts (BASATA Serial No 1950).

It solely depends on grants, donations and sponsorships for funds or for services from national and international organisations and companies.

The association promotes artists from East Africa and networking with interested partners — such as art associations, trusts, funds, foundations, galleries and museums — in the region and abroad.

The association organises a fine arts exhibition every two years that includes visual and performing arts the region. However, the exhibition also allows artists from outside East Africa to participate.

-Additional information from www.eastafab.org