Samantha Inarukundo on Rebuilding Burundi Through Art at TwoFiveSeven Arts

Samantha Inarukundo, founder and director of TwoFiveSeven Arts in Bujumbura, Burundi, discusses her mission to rebuild the country through contemporary art. The gallery, opened to counter negative perceptions of Burundi, provides training, visibility, and commercial opportunities for local artists. Inarukundo highlights the lack of investment in visual arts, the impact of civil war on the art scene, and the need for cultural infrastructure. She runs social programs like Art for Education for disadvantaged children and Art for Pros for professional development. The gallery also explores Burundi's traumatic past through photography to foster collective healing. Despite patriarchal challenges, Inarukundo advocates for women in the arts, organizing talks such as 'Being a Woman and a Photographer in Burundi.' The government's focus on basic services leaves culture underfunded, but Inarukundo sees potential in youth entrepreneurship and tourism. The gallery plans to resume regional collaborations with Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo post-pandemic.