Thank you for all your applications! The process is now closed.

Because we are committed to making Afrika Handmade Gallery an excellent experience in 2016, we are doing things a little differently…

  1. Open call for interest: While participation in the Gallery has previously been by invitation, we are keen to offer as diverse an experience as possible. To this end, we are making an open call for interest. However, please note that application does not guarantee selection. Applications are open 1 March – 31 May 2016 at 5pm EAT
  2. Successful applicants will be required to develop products along the Afrika Handmade Gallery 2016 theme: “Homegrown Design: Inspired by Kenya, for the World.” 
  3. Open market weekend: 15-16 October 2016 presents an opportunity for exhibitors to sell their products to the public

About the theme:

In seeking to celebrate their heritage, designers all over the world look inwards in search of inspiration. By effectively mainstreaming local influences into contemporary design, the result is an aesthetic that defies both time and space.

Considered a hub for the continent’s creativity and innovation, Kenya boasts a diverse cultural heritage, and scratching the surface will reveal layers of inspiration rich in color, pattern, texture, form and function.

What we are looking for is process in product development: the design and creation of contemporary home decor products that infuse elements drawn from Kenya’s rich cultural landscape.

What we are not looking for is a simplistic translation of the thematic concept, the narrow conceptualization that characterizes much of the sector and that results in average quality products that lack the ‘wow’ factor.

Other eligibility criteria:

  • Products must be in the home decor/home textile product category – soft furnishings, furniture (indoor and outdoor), floor rugs, wall decor, lighting, storage (baskets), table top and table top accessories, permanent botanicals, planters, objet d’art, wall paper etc
  • Products must be specifically created for the Afrika Handmade showcase, along the specified theme. They must be of superior quality, embody creativity and  innovation. Please note that the Gallery is a highly curated experience, and only products agreed upon by the curator and designer/artisan will be allowed into the exhibition
  • Upon selection, the ability to pay a participation fee of Ksh. 30,000 by 31 July 2016
  • The willingness to commit time and resources to make Afrika Handmade a success. This includes actively promoting the event through social networks, attending various sessions with stakeholders and being available for media interviews

Interested?

Fill out the form below and we will be in touch shortly with more details.

Deadline for submissions is 31 May 2016