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County opens application portal for creative arts trainees

Nyeri County has opened an online application portal for young people interested in pursuing a career in the creative arts.

The initiative dubbed Nyeri Youth Talent Search has been organised by the Department of Trade, Cooperatives, Culture, and Tourism and is open to applicants from the county.

For one to be considered for the training, individuals are required to showcase their talents during the interview for them to qualify for the capacity-building training programme courtesy of the County government, Kenya Film Commission, and the Dedan Kimathi University of Technology.

Women and people with disabilities have especially been encouraged to apply.

To register, one must log onto the department’s online application platform and provide one’s personal details, besides including the area of interest. The deadline for the application is February 8, 2025.

Trade, Cooperative, Culture, and Tourism Chief Officer George Mwangi says among the areas of interest they are searching for include photography, filmmaking, graphic design, animation, music, and photography.

Mwangi says the County wants to harness the varied talents of young people currently intending to venture into the creative industry as one way of creating alternative income avenues for youth besides showcasing the unique talents of Kenyans both locally and internationally.

“This will be our fifth year as a county in organising a talent search for young people with a passion in creative arts. Last year we managed to train a total of 100 youths in a similar programme in conjunction with the Kenya Film Commission and hope to do the same this year. Once these artists have gone through the training, they will be issued with certificates, which they can then use to seek available openings where they can showcase them for pay,” he told KNA.

The official has also clarified that the training period will last between two weeks or a month depending on budgetary allocation.

During his second State of the County address on December 4 last year, Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga enumerated his plans to transform the county into a preferred cultural and tourism destination in the country.

Kahiga, who was addressing members of the Nyeri County Assembly, stated that the county had also embarked on a long-term goal of putting up a Mau Mau Museum and was awaiting allocation of more land from the National Land Commission.

He said the County was working in collaboration with other stakeholders, including the Kenya Film Classification Commission, to promote the tourism sector in the county that is famed for the Mount Kenya and Aberdare game and rich verdure.

“As a county we are committed to conserving our fauna and flora by developing the tourism sites, goods, and services and connecting them to the local and Regional Tourism Circuits. The County engaged with key partnerships with a view to enhancing its cultural and tourism profile. Through these engagements with other stakeholders to promote the sector, the County signed an MOU with the Kenya Film Commission, and this will no doubt position Nyeri as a prime filming destination,” he said.

By Samuel Maina

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