"Reflecting on the past year, 2025 was a very successful year for the ART27 - Artist Group and we were able to support various members during the rainy season with art materials and cash."
For him, rainy season is often a difficult period for visual artists as they experience fewer guests among a host of other challenges.
"It is not nice for them, as artists cannot sell their paintings. In 2026, we changed our "low season’’ support by starting our Art27 - Artist Residence in our studio in Sanyang."
"I selected one of our members for this coming low season, Edrisa Jobe, a honest and hard working visual artist and friend back in 2024. Edrisa will be benefit from five-month ART27 - Artist Residence program."
During the programme, he said, Jobe will work with Art27 Team in their studio, acknowledging that ART27-Artist Group works on a non-profit basis and all sales from the paintings are used to support the group's funds, which will be reinvested in future projects as their biggest goal is to establish their own modern gallery.
Besides, Mr. Donderer's efforts are commendable, amid growing challenges with little support from government. Despite being registered with the National Centre for Arts and Culture, it is more of a symbolic membership with no tangible benefits.
He also spoke of his plans to revive lino and wood cutting & relief printing art in The Gambia by working with the Art27 members such as Anna Isatou Bah, who is showing great promise, and they are eager to get a printmaker machine to take their craft to the next level.
