House of XTSY – A new safe haven for local creatives – Founder

Founded by renowned model and creative person Michael Sam, House of XTSY aims to preserve and promote Guyana’s local arts and culture. The new premier arts and entertainment company will be home to many artists and talents within the creative industry in the country.
“It’s to be the pinnacle for hosting high-end cultural and creative entertainment events locally and internationally. This company was founded in the year 2020, and its mission is to promote and preserve the creative and cultural industry through the implementation of new-age marketing strategies, to build community with artists while remaining authentic to Guyanese art and culture and match international standards.”

During an interview with this publication, Sam shared that being in the industry for some eight (8) years now, it was his own experience that drove him to establish a business where local creatives can promote their craft and reach higher heights.
He noted, too, that the creative industry in Guyana lacks marketing and promotion.
“The creative industry has been its own support system for such a long time that you literally see the same faces at each event. And because of the lack of promotion and effective marketing, they aren’t able to reach the heights necessary. Being exposed to the creative industry for a while without any change, I founded the company to be able to implement the change that is desperately needed for the benefit of the current and new emerging generation of artists within Guyana, to not be exposed to the same traumas when pursuing their careers as creatives. This provides a platform for them to effectively collaborate and preserve cultures that are currently fading away.

“The real impact is to be able to inspire the new generation of artists to create in a safe and healthy environment,” Sam told iNews.
The budding entrepreneur added that he was inspired to create his business in an effort to normalise jobs in the creative industry as a reputable profession in our society.
“Locally, the main challenges we face as artists are having to prove to society that the arts can be a respectable job title; that we can be able to earn from it as a profession, and have stability. People are generally programmed to the system’s definition of a job, but to aim to have a career within the creative arts has always been a risk, because people just generally don’t see much gain from it. And the funny thing is, on an international level, those creative jobs are on a pedestal to be one of the highest paying jobs a person can earn from. And this is due to the fact that there are institutions dedicated and ready to help promote and develop artists, because they recognize the value in creativity,” Sam highlighted.
“This is the energy I’d like to wake up in Guyana, because I believe that the cultural identity has been fading tremendously. The main inspiration is to give people a safe space to create while remaining authentic to their niche — to be the person I needed,” he added.
Even though the word ‘ecstasy’ is often generally commercialised as synonymous with a drug. Sam’s business name actually aligns with the actual meaning of the word, “An overflowing feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.”
“To feel ecstatic about something that brings you joy and purpose; and for me, it’s the way I feel whenever I create in my own element. The way I used my creativity as a means of escape into a world where I’m in total control. So, I wanted to create a safe home for people to feel free, accepted, and at peace to create in their element,” Sam asserted.

MAKING AN IMPACT
This ambitious young man has shared that, in the future, he aims to host cultural and creative events locally, to promote authentic Guyanese art and culture while raising the standard to provide a safe space for artists to be expressive and earn from what they’re passionate about.
According to Sam, he aspires to be the person he needed as an artist, to help develop new and emerging talent to their highest potential. He added that he hopes the House of XTSY will come to the attention of institutions in power, so they may jump on board this amazing journey for the benefit of the entire country’s creative sector.
Forging ahead with the aim of leaving an impact on the creative sector in Guyana, House of XTSY will be hosting its inaugural modelling workshop on the first two weekends in July. The focus of the workshop would be on training potential and current models on the skills needed to be able to pursue their careers the right way, and gain from what they’re most passionate about.
House of XTSY aims to equip individuals with the right tools to tackle their careers the right way, by implementing training on various areas to ensure the standards are raised to an international level. This training will include categories on social media and content creation, beauty, health, and fitness, creating portfolios, runway training, introduction to editorial, high fashion, and creative art photography, and building self-confidence as well as etiquette.
It even allows the models to network with local artists and photographers to effectively collaborate on making content.
Interested persons can contact Sam at +592 684 7776 for more information, or email [email protected]. House of XTSY can also be found on Instagram, Facebook, and Tiktok @houseofxtsy, limited spaces are available.

“People can expect quality above everything else. We are aiming to change the game when it comes to the creative experiences here in Guyana, and to be able to help as many people as possible get much-needed guidance in pursuing their careers,” Sam told this publication.
Sam is a highly self-motivated individual who draws his motivation from writing his poetry and listening to music.
“Generally, I draw the most inspiration from my writing in poetry and music, since it allows me to channel my deepest emotions and be expressive. I also follow a number of talented artists globally, and have seen the way the community is inspired by culture, and I dedicate most of my craft into channelling that energy to bring light to my ancestry as well.”
The assertive 26-year-old shared that one of the most defining and rewarding moments of his career has been his recognition by the international community.
“Most recently, I have been recognized on an international creative arts platform, and published in a few magazines. And having so many people connect to my art on a deeper level had been really amazing to see. It gave me the drive to keep pushing boundaries to achieve my goals, and keep inspiring people. This gives me purpose,” Sam noted.
Sam added that after moving to Georgetown from the Essequibo Coast, he was always praised for showing up at creative events and supporting many talented artists in their element of creativity. He said he found a community that allowed him to be as expressive as he needed to be, which ultimately gave him the opportunity to grow and develop his craft in the best way possible.
Sam’s ambitions entail being a model, entrepreneur, musician, poet, designer; and overall, a creative artist who is aiming to revive and preserve Guyanese culture and art.