A group exhibition, titled ‘Rising Voices’, by five Namibian artists, opened at the FNCC along Robert Mugabe Avenue in the capital on Thursday.

The works of Elisia N g h i d i s h a n g e , L y n e t t e Diergaardt, Lynette Musukubili, Kambezunda Ngavee and Vitjitua Ndjiharine are on display until 21 August. The exhibition will consist of sculptures in welded metal and stone, weavings in plastic and natural fibres and digital art. These artists each received a grant from the Africa Prime Initiative (API), the philanthropic arm of the US-based video streaming platform, Africa Prime, last year.

Entrance is free Reflecting on her experience, Diergaardt said the grant enabled her to import a weaving loom and can now introduce Namibian fibre artists and fellow crafters to a new body of work in making more refined types of hand-made textiles and fibre art.

“This grant is a tremendous gift and will not only help my artistic career to flourish, but it has helped me regain a part of my training that has been lost to me for six years. I’ve always hoped to train future fibre artists on looms like this, and this opportunity has now made this possible,” she noted. Africa Prime’s mission is to give a voice to African talent and help authentic African voices take control of the continent’s international narrative.

Yaya Moussa, founder of Africa Prime, said supporting emerging artists is more than an investment in their talent; it is an investment in the future of Africa’s creative sector, which has the potential to play a significant role in development. “By promoting the artistic voices of tomorrow, we are also empowering them to shape Africa’s narrative and international perceptions of our continent,” he said.

All of the artists who received grants were able to purchase new equipment that has enabled them to expand and develop their professional practice. Because of this funding, both Nghidishange and Musukubili were able to produce work for solo exhibitions.

“I am happy and grateful to have received the API grant; it has enabled me to create work for my solo exhibition. The grant has made every step of my creation easier and allowed me to have the greatest exhibition. I am so thankful to the API,” said Nghidishange.

Ngavee acquired specialised equipment for stone carving, while Ndjiharine was able to travel for her research and purchase equipment for the production of digital art.

Reflecting on the process of administering these grants, StArt Art Gallery curator Helen Harris said working with the artists and witnessing first-hand how these grants have positively impacted their work has been a joyful process. “Each artist has purchased equipment that they will be able to use for years to come and, even more importantly, they have been empowered to make work that is a true reflection of their unique perspectives on the world.”