FRESHMEN:
POINTERS TO MASENO UNI’s ART SCENE
Here are a couple
of pointers to the art scene in Maseno University for the freshmen. Though the
art circuit is constituted of just a handful of events and activities, the creatives’
community here keeps thriving despite the organizational and financial setbacks:
1. The
university community here is conscious of the role of artists and will treat
you respectfully. But then, we all know what controversial subjects can do to
artists. Do not fear going down that road though.
2. There
are several artist groups and communities you might want to know of. Artists
and creatives come together in these groups occasionally, mostly weekly, to
showcase works, collaborate on projects and get feedback about completed works.
If you need positive critiquing done on your work, there are several platforms
where you can get that kind of input for free. Spoken Heart is a general
artists and creatives collective that doubles as a Behavior Change and
Communication Group under a non-governmental organization, I Choose Life Africa
(ICL) that operates in the university from an office in Siriba campus (you’ll
know your way around with time). Spoken Heart sessions go down every Thursday
night, 7-10 pm.
3. If
theatre and performing arts is your thing, I would advise you get to meet the
people at the university’s music room (this one shouldn’t be hard to get to, it’s
directly opposite where you’ll board the university shuttle when going to the
main gate).Also, on Thursday nights, actors and actresses meet to stage plays
and do rehearsals at Hindocha Hall (again, you’ll know with time).
4. For
poets, rappers and hip hop enthusiasts, Spoken Heart is the best and most
active platform to meet and get people to collaborate with. For guys who draw,
paint, sculpt, do graphic design and any other form of computer generated art,
apparel, accessories and interior design, Spoken Heart would still serve you
right. Though there’s a designers
collective that has since gone into events management much (Insigne), Spoken
Heart still manages to pull a good number of designers.
5. Important
to mention also, is the fact that there are interior and apparel design plus
fine art courses being offered in the university.
6. For
those interested in learning and getting into the radio industry, there’s a
media department where you can apply for and get to be guided on how to run a radio
show.
7. There’s
a salsa dance group too. Practice goes on Wednesday and Thursday nights every
week.
8. For
percussionists and instrumentalists, there is a university band you would want
to join. Plus a choir. Close to this, is an independent student’s band not run
by the university, Sana Sana band. The band has grown over the past three years
to be a household name in the university. Both genders can join as vocalists or
instrumentalists.
9. For
writers and other content generators, there are several online student-run
platforms you can write for. Bloggers Association of Maseno University is a
bloggers collective that has a blog
run by students where submitted articles are published based on outlined
criteria. Articles submitted can capture a wide scope of subjects provided it’s
well done. Similarly, there’s gigzcampo,
an online repository of articles covering events and certain subjects as they
unfold in the university. With all the stuff going down in and around the
university, there’s always something to write about. Just get inspired and get
writing.
10.
If you are interested in mainstream
journalism, there’s a newspaper publication, Equator Weekly, run by the media department that could be a good
place to channel your energies to.
No comments:
Post a Comment