Tanzania starts taking stock of painted arts and cultural carvings sold in overseas galleries
Tanzania is launching an initiative to track and certify local arts and crafts to ensure that artists and the national economy benefit from international sales. The government plans to create a database and require certificates of origin for exported cultural goods.
Why it matters
This effort addresses the issue of cultural appropriation and economic leakage, aiming to empower local creators in the global art market.
Tanzania is launching efforts to trace the country’s arts and craft products that have always been exported and sold overseas without local producers benefitting.
It is being reported that painted work, including the famous Tinga-Tinga paintings and variety of Makonde carvings, molded images and rock sculptured artifacts from Tanzania are flooding the global markets, some hanging on international galleries and others fetching huge prices on auctions abroad, yet the country of origin is not benefitting.
In order to correct that, the Tanzania International Tourism Festival (TITF), an entity which deals with Arts, Education and Tourism plans to bring together all local artists, sculptors, international arts dealers and diplomatic missions during a forthcoming special event in Arusha.
At least 1500 local and international exhibitors, buyers and art enthusiasts are expected to participate in the inaugural event alongside 10,000 other people who will simply be attending the event.
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