Artcaffe, a Kenyan restaurant chain, has incurred the wrath of Kenyans on social media after they invited entries to an art competition in which the winners will only be paid with free coffee and exposure of their artistic work on take-away coffee cups.
In an announcement of the contest dubbed #ARTofthecity competition, which was posted on their social media platforms on Tuesday, the restaurant said the contest is meant to enable Kenyan creatives to showcase their artwork.
The restaurant further announced that three winners will walk away with prizes, which clearly did not sit well with a number of people.
“Get creative and help us jazz up our take-away coffee cups! All three winners’ unique artworks will be the printed design on our Holiday Season take-away cups!,” the announcement read.
According to Arcaffe, first prize winner will get an exhibition space in one of their restaurants for two months or an internship with the Artcaffe Design Team for two months and free coffee for a year.
The second prize is free coffee for six months while the third prize will be also be free coffee for three months.
However, soon after the announcement was made, the restaurant found itself on the receiving end from Kenyans on social media who questioned the logic of rewarding art with free coffee.
Inspite of their effort to explain themselves and even offer their apologies, Kenyans on Twitter were having none of it:
Shame on you Artcaffe. No really, shame on you.
1 coffee a day for a year is Kes 91,250.
Offer that instead of a cup of coffee that no one needs. Also, you know the winner won’t be able to redeem everyday, that’s why you offered this.
Respect creatives, they deserve to be paid. pic.twitter.com/CBWrnrERZW— Elayne (@ElayneOkaya) August 4, 2020
They’re paying in coffee.. yani ufanye hii kazi upewe maji moto na kahawa sachet ya 5bob..
Ayaya Hii ni unyama. pic.twitter.com/t4iGxYgpW8— SHARON (@Tsharz) August 4, 2020
I just want to know why y’all thought this would be a good idea. How many people were in the team?? Was there a vote? Did they all agree that coffee and exposure is appropriate compensation for such work?
— missy (@nc_missy) August 4, 2020
If the first prize winner gets to work with the “Artcaffe Design Team” Why don’t you just use that design team of yours to jazz up your take-away coffee cup?
— Colour Alchemist ?? (@VictorOmondiArt) August 4, 2020
You really should be ashamed of yourselves for even thinking this was something appropriate to put out…. How do you pay for someones talent in coffee??? This is akin to we pay in exposure…. SHAME ON YOU!!!
— AMG….?? (@MsMuthoni) August 4, 2020
So I come up with a winning design for Artcaffee then go for internship with their “design team” that could not come up with a design? For what? A downgrade of skills?
— Kimaru Tepeny (@ktepeny) August 4, 2020
Tell me how am going to pay for your coffee with exposure. Convert that exposure to Kenyan Shillings please. We nani alikuambia anataka exposure? Uliskia wapi?
— Ojwoook (@OjwokMe) August 4, 2020
Exposure is great,but being an artist/creative is a career for many, and just like any other it deserves fair compensation. Would you hire an architect to design your cafe and tell them they’ll be paid with exposure since everyone coming to your cafe will see their work?
— Zee (@Msv_zee) August 4, 2020
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