This archive report was first published on 19 July 2019.
Former Taita Taveta Woman Representative Joyce Lay sparked controversy on Twitter when she asked artists to create logos for her enterprises in exchange for exposure.
Ms Lay posted on Twitter that she was looking for a good artist to create logos for three of her enterprises: the Joyce Lay Foundation, This Is Art Limited, and Pearl Intercom Limited.
She asked interested parties to post their works on Twitter and tag her, with the promise of posting the winning artwork on her Instagram page.
Ms Lay tweeted, 'I need 3 best logos. 1. Joyce Lay Foundation 2. This is Art Ltd 3. Pearl Intercon Ltd I’ll pick the one with the most likes. Post will be on IG too #TwendeKazi.'
Many artists on Twitter expressed their anger towards the offer, with some accusing Ms Lay of inviting ideas for her logos free of charge with only the promise of exposure.
One artist, @Njagi_bryan, tweeted, 'I need the likes?'
Another artist, @ItsMugambi, posted a design that combined all three names, saying, 'This request found me in a moment of inspiration. Here’s my completely original design. I have combined all three names for efficiency. If you’ve seen one company, you’ve seen them all.'
Many artists criticized Ms Lay for not providing a brief or budget for the project, with some accusing her of taking creativity in the country for granted.
Ms Lay's tweet was posted on July 18, 2019, and sparked a heated debate on Twitter.
