Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Society

The Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Society, at Morogoro Stores in the Msasani area of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, is the home of Tingatinga painting, the colourful style founded in the 1960s by Edward Saidi Tingatinga and now one of Tanzania's best-known art forms. The cooperative is a working studio and gallery where member artists paint on square canvases and boards using bright enamel or acrylic colours, typically depicting animals such as elephants, giraffes and birds, as well as village scenes, fish and abstract patterns. Because paintings are made on site by artists belonging to the society, the proportion of original work is high compared with souvenir stalls, though smaller and quickly produced pieces are also sold to meet tourist demand. Prices depend on canvas size and complexity, from small paintings affordable to most visitors to larger commissions at a higher cost, and bargaining is accepted but usually milder than at open markets. Cash in shillings is the main payment method, US dollars are sometimes accepted, and card facilities cannot be assumed. No tax-refund scheme applies. Buyers can often watch artists at work, discuss the style and request a custom subject or size, and paintings can be rolled or unframed for easy transport. The atmosphere is quiet and unhurried: a studio-gallery with paintings displayed along the walls and stacked for browsing, without the pressure of a large market. There is no major food outlet at the cooperative, but cafes and restaurants are available elsewhere in Msasani. Visitors seeking a considered purchase rather than a quick souvenir often come here to compare styles and speak directly to the painters, then pair the visit with nearby Slipway or Msasani Village. Opening hours are around Monday to Saturday during the day.