Vanessa Murrey
The Sh100 million stimulus package to cushion artistes during the Covid-19 pandemic has finally been disbursed.
The package, dubbed “Work for Pay” was released to the stage actors after they submitted their applications and recorded their content recorded for Kulture TV.
Due to the Covid-19 social distancing guidelines, the applications and auditions were conducted online.
“We are pleased that the Kenya Cultural Centre has so far paid 64 artistes with recordings in five regions, including Nairobi, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Western and parts of Central regions,” said Mr Mike Pundo, the Executive Director of the Kenya Cultural Centre.
Artistes covering different genres including plays, poetry, spoken word, cultural creative dance and percussion, radio theatre, narratives and storytelling were each paid Sh10,000.
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While there was room to explore other topics other than the pandemic, 95 percent of the content focused on the prevention and management of the Corona Virus.
“We are very happy we received our money promptly and had our works recorded. We thank President Uhuru Kenyatta and his government for this initiative,” said Xavier Nato, the producer at Millaz Productions, whose company produced a play on the restrictions of movement to and from the Nairobi metropolitan region.
Through the Mininstry of Sports, Heritage and Culture, the government implemented the project to pay artistes directly through state agencies, bypassing the traditional method of going through content management organizations which have been accused of swindling artistes.
The agencies involved include the Kenya Cultural Centre, the Kenya Film Commission, Department of Culture, National museums of Kenya and the permanent Presidential Music Commission.
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