Redeeming the Arts and Reshaping Culture in East Africa
Singer-songwriter Jethroe Mateso, from Kampala, Uganda, has been a prominent member of the International Network of Creatives (INC) community since 2022.
Mateso has actively participated in the Emerging Creatives Program in regions like Arua, Uganda, helping mentor young, aspiring artists by teaching songwriting and basic instrumentation. Based in Uganda, he has been writing music since 2007, blending faith, culture, and poetry. He released his debut 7-track EP, Koboko Nika Na, in August 2023.
“The International Network of Creatives (INC) has profoundly impacted my life, mentoring, challenging, and shaping me as I walk this journey with Christ. Through the INC community, I have learned more fully what it means to be a disciple of Christ: to love selflessly and faithfully share the Gospel with those around me through my creative gifts. I continue to grow in my faith through prayer and Bible study, grounded in the discipleship culture INC has nurtured.”
The Genesis of Masterpiece Africa
In 2022, during an INC Bible study on Ephesians 2:10 (“We are His masterpiece...”), Jethroe began to see his creative process, production, performance, and purpose in a profoundly new way—a shift that transformed his perspective. By 2025, that seed had grown into a movement: Masterpiece Africa.
Today, Masterpiece Africa is cultivating a new generation of Christian creatives—grounded in Christ, exceptional in their craft, and purposeful in their influence. Masterpiece Africa believes that artists are among the most powerful shapers of culture, often reaching audiences that pastors and politicians cannot.
While artists shape culture, who shapes the artists?
Through its Unmuted sessions, Masterpiece Africa is cultivating an environment where Christian artists can think, question, grow, and engage more intentionally with faith, creativity, and culture. The conversations continually challenge them to view their gifts not simply as talents to develop, but as tools for Kingdom influence.
MA is also strengthening its commitment to spiritual formation. In November, their Artists’ Prayer Meeting, themed “How Great Thou ART,” will launch their 2027 year-long discipleship program. On December 5, they will host a Sound and Media Production Workshop in Koboko for creative and media teams from churches and organizations across West Nile, equipping those who shape how the Church communicates its message.
On Christmas Day, Masterpiece Africa hosts a Christian Music and Culture Festival in the Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, in partnership with the Mission Innovation Center for Peace and Development (MICPAD). Uniting Masterpiece artists and creatives from the refugee community, the group aims to reach 1,000 young people with a transformative encounter of music, faith, life, and purpose. MA wants every young person to know their circumstances do not cancel their calling, and their stories are far from finished.
“Masterpiece Africa’s growth is deeply connected to the mentorship and partnership of the International Network of Creatives (INC). What began as a Bible study has become a movement, fueled by monthly mentorship sessions with Dr. William that keep our leadership team inspired and accountable. INC has nurtured our vision and strengthened our leadership. Our mission remains clear: to discover, develop, disciple, and deploy Christian creatives to bring the arts under the lordship of Christ. We aim not just to make space for Christian artists, but to equip them to shape culture. This is the heart of Masterpiece Africa: Redeeming the Arts, Reshaping the Culture.”
About INC
The International Network of Creatives is not just a local non-profit; it’s a global movement. Based in Southwest Florida, INC has been discipling creatives to reflect and proclaim Christ in their lives and work for decades. INC’s impact has changed the lives of more than 7,000 people in Southwest Florida and thousands more worldwide. By supporting INC, you become part of a global movement of culture changers!
Copyright, International Network of Creatives
2026
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