With the emergence of new technologies, the world continues to make a digital shift, thus enhancing our interconnectedness. The COVID-19 pandemic further accelerated this move as we all had to find alternative ways to stay active and engage with each
other during lockdown season. The transition to a more digital world is not about to stop anytime soon. Creatives need to prepare themselves for this era by learning new ways to make money doing what they love, while building
strong communities around their work online.
In collaboration with CISP-Kenya, HustleSasa ran an 8-week program from August to September 2022 which equipped a select number of ArtXChange project participants with the tools, resources and networks to monetize their craft and begin establishing their
presence in the digital world. Through a series of masterclasses & office hours sessions with industry experts, free website set-up and product photography shoots, the participants went through an immersive learning experience
designed to help them streamline their creative brands’ digital activities.
I joined this program because I saw it as an outlet, in which I can break through the proverbial ceiling into a sustainable financial level where I get to have the freedom of expression, as well as establish a global footprint.’
Program Pillars
The program objectives can best be summarized as:
Inclusion
Giving creatives of all levels, backgrounds and disciplines the opportunity to create, run and manage their own digital stores directly from their mobile phones.
Empowerment
Allowing creatives to own their entire distribution channel, in a bid to cut down middlemen and give them more control over the results of the work they produce.
Connection
Curating a space to meet other creators, learn from different thoughtleaders, and gain access to resources and tools to aid the business aspect of creative brands.
‘Joining this program and having an opportunity to make money from my art through online sales makes me feel like I’m productive and have an important role in society.’
