{"id":38001,"date":"2023-03-22T16:33:56","date_gmt":"2023-03-22T16:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/all-news\/featured-komezart-empowering-rwandan-artists-through-e-commerce"},"modified":"2023-03-22T16:50:53","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T16:50:53","slug":"featured-komezart-empowering-rwandan-artists-through-e-commerce","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\/culture-and-art\/featured-komezart-empowering-rwandan-artists-through-e-commerce","title":{"rendered":"FEATURED: KomezArt: Empowering Rwandan artists through e-commerce"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Africa-Press &#8211; Rwanda. <\/strong><\/span>Art is a powerful medium of expression that transcends borders and connects people. However, for many artists, getting their work seen and sold can be a daunting task.<\/p>\n<p>This is where KomezArt, an online art space that empowers Rwandan artists by helping them to sell their art pieces, comes in.<\/p>\n<p>The platform was co-founded by Judith Kaine and Lesley Grobler. Through it, talented artists can now reach customers beyond Rwanda, Africa, and other regions.<\/p>\n<p>Grobler, who also serves as the operations manager, explained that KomezArt acts as a bridge between the artists and their target customers, facilitating the connection between the two.<\/p>\n<p>She shared that the idea for KomezArt came about during the Covid-19 pandemic when many physical art galleries were forced to close their doors, leaving many artists struggling to sell their works.<\/p>\n<p>Recognising the need to support these artists, the KomezArt team seized the opportunity to establish an online platform to showcase and sell their artwork given that Kaine has been residing in Rwanda for a decade, and had a background in dealing with artists and artwork.<\/p>\n<p>Grobler explained that KomezArt operates as an e-commerce platform and initially connects with artists through art galleries.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter informing the artists about the company\u2019s services, we on-board them and sign a legal document to formalise the partnership,\u201d she said. \u201cIn a span of two and a half years, we have represented 97 artists in Rwanda. Our portfolio includes digital artists, photographers, sculptors, and mainly painters working with acrylics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Regarding the benefits for artists, Grobler explained that KomezArt provides them with exposure. As an example, she said, some of the artists the company represents were showcased at the Cape Town Art Fair and were also featured during CHOGM and in Atlanta, USA.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of revenue, artists are given the freedom to determine the selling price of their pieces, and they receive a percentage from the sale, Grobler said.<\/p>\n<p>One of KomezArt\u2019s significant achievements was showcasing its artists at CHOGM, which was made possible through a partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB). Additionally, in November of last year, the company also had a representation in NFT.<\/p>\n<p>KomezArt is one of the start-ups under the Women in Business Initiative, a joint initiative between the Embassy of Sweden in Rwanda and the Norrsken Foundation, and aims to support and accelerate the growth of women-led tech-enabled ventures.<\/p>\n<p>Grobler expressed how beneficial the programme has been for them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were able to establish connections with organisations like Education First, which offered us free courses, and 250 Startups, one of the programme partners. Our project with AMI has already begun, and we anticipate that the Women in Business Initiative will remain a valuable resource for us moving forward,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, Grobler noted that through the initiative, KomezArt was provided with a workspace and the opportunity to attend events and connect with potential investors and business partners.<\/p>\n<p>Despite its success, KomezArt still faces challenges, particularly with finances.<\/p>\n<p>Grobler said they are working on finding ways to successfully operate on a low budget while still growing their business. Additionally, they are exploring tactics to approach investors to showcase their product and seek support.<\/p>\n<p>KomezArt\u2019s impact extends beyond its business success. By amplifying the stories of artists who have never been outside of their villages, they are making a difference in their lives.<\/p>\n<p>Grobler said they believe that by promoting less popular art forms, they are bringing these artists\u2019 voices and stories to a wider audience.<\/p>\n<p>Looking to the future, KomezArt\u2019s plans include opening a physical space within the next three years and expanding its reach beyond Rwanda and into the wider region.<\/p>\n<p>The primary goal of the Women in Business Initiative is to create women role models in their ecosystem, who can build successful ventures and inspire more women to own and run successful businesses.<\/p>\n<p><strong>For More News And Analysis About <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/rwanda\">Rwanda<\/a> Follow <a href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/\">Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Africa-Press &#8211; Rwanda. Art is a powerful medium of expression that transcends borders and connects people. However, for many artists, getting their work seen and sold can be a daunting task. This is where KomezArt, an online art space that empowers Rwandan artists by helping them to sell their art pieces, comes in. The platform [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":37999,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24,17],"tags":[760,763,758],"class_list":["post-38001","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-culture-and-art","tag-africa-press","tag-africa-press-rwanda","tag-rwanda"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.1 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FEATURED: KomezArt: Empowering Rwandan artists through e-commerce - Rwanda<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Art is a powerful medium of expression that transcends borders and connects people. 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