Listed telecoms operator Safaricom last evening added another feather to its cap by launching an ultra modern Art and Exhibition Centre at the ground floor of the company’s third office block in Nairobi. The centre which will be free for members of the public, Safaricom clients and students will offer different cultural programmes, education and entertainment at no charge.
Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph said the centre will comprise four functional spaces namely the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Art space, Technology space and Interactive space. He said that the Art space was designed in a way to run temporary Art exhibitions in all genres of Art performances, visual arts, fashion, photography and video-graphy.

So far, 25 renowned artists have started exhibiting their creativity from different parts of Kenya. Joseph said although many Kenyan best artists have not yet been discovered due to the many difficulties they encounter trying to break into the mainstream making most of their work get limited exposure and access to galleries, the centre was going to reach  every corner of Kenya and try to uplift these people by giving them a hand and a platform through the exhibition.

British High Commissioner to Kenya Rob Macaire, who was the chief guest, said Safaricom had come along way ten years ago to be where it was today due to the relationship it has with the grass roots people who happen to be the core customers.

He said looking at the CSR of Safaricom, most people had benefitted from its different programmes in uplifting people’s lives and giving them a chance to be heard. He requested that people who had different artistic talent should come and showcase their talent for free at the centre to improve the country’s cultural image locally and abroad.

“You should be proud to be Kenyans because you are in a country which is on the world map in mobile innovations, something which other developed nations did not know could work out and this shows how much Kenya is embracing technology”, said Macaire.