Run by Yebo! Art Gallery, Funded by the The Swiss Embassy in Pretoria and in partnership with Ezulwini Municipality Summary
Yebo, an art gallery, design studio and creative workshop based in Ezulwini Valley in Eswatini, was established in 2010 by Peter, Aleta and Dane Armstrong. Our mission was to enable the growth of the creative economy by working together with professional and emerging artists. To date we have hosted 60 exhibitions. Yebo has run numerous workshops for artists and specific projects in product development, screen-printing, pottery, women’s rights etc with numerous partners like Taiwan ICDF, ITC, Town Council, US Embassy etc as a way to respond to the lack of creative institutions that train and produce creatives and artists. The youth crisis in Eswatini is a national emergency with the challenges the youth face coming together to further their exclusion from a large sector in the country’s creative industry, hampering its growth and reducing opportunities for disadvantaged youth to take part in and earn income from Eswatini’s creative economy. We, as Yebo Art Gallery, sought to do something creative yet practical to help youth aged 18- 25 living in the peri-urban areas of Ezulwini where we are based. The aim of the Youth Art Workshop is to give hope and joy in being part of a creative team, as well as new practical skills with an opportunity to become creative artists/artisans who can earn an income. We have partnered with the Ezulwini Municipality in identifying 10 youth students who have dropped out of school due to financial challenges, are from a vulnerable low income household, can communicate in English, have basic IT skills and have a strong interest in creativity, arts and entrepreneurship. The Ezulwini Municipality will monitor their progress and assist after the training in finding them a workshop space, a loan or grant (from the local corporate sector) to get materials and equipment, and together with us, mentor their progress and growth once the training is completed. We have focused on teaching design and screen-printing skills as this is something we have ourselves done successfully for 40 years and there is a gap in the market for more locally designed and printed textile designs and products. We have added also lino and block printing as no artist is currently exploring this medium in the country after the late Austin Hleza who was so successful. This would fill a gap in the fine art market which we work in. The workshop training will be for 54 full days followed by a 30 day exhibition.