After a call for proposals for cultural projects in Nairobi County at the end of 2024, Africalia has selected ten cultural organisations that will receive support in the framework of our multi-year programme in Kenya. By accompanying their projects, which range from organizing festivals to facilitating the circulation of cultural works and the development of online distribution platforms, Africalia aims to contribute to the strengthening of Kenya’s vibrant cultural landscape. The initiative will boost the visibility of Kenyan artists and their work, foster the development of the creative economy in the country, and reinforce the network of the cultural and creative industries.
The ten laureates
The ten cultural organisations receiving funding support for their projects from Africalia are at the forefront of fostering creativity and promoting cultural goods and services in Nairobi.
The ten laureates are:
Santuri East Africa is een gemeenschapsgericht innovatiecentrum voor muziek. De organisatie streeft naar een meer rechtvaardige, authentieke en diverse muziekindustrie. Hun project “Kilele 2025 – Music and Innovation”, ondersteund door Africalia, ging in februari van start. Het is de enige Oost-Afrikaanse bijeenkomst voor muziektechnologie en -innovatie. De eerste optredens in het kader van het project maakten meteen duidelijk hoe artiesten in Nairobi een motor zijn voor sociale innovatie.
Sarakasi Trust is a charitable trust working towards capacity building in the performing arts. ‘Sarakasi’ being the Kiswahili word for circus, the organisation was founded in 2001 to facilitate training and performance opportunities for acrobats and dancers.
Twaweza Communications Center Limited is a strategic communications institution, active in the spheres of public policy, media, and culture for sustainable development. With expertise in research, training, advocacy, and documentation, its activities in the creative sector are situated both on practitioner and policy level. The organisation is a founding member and convenor of the Creative Economy Working Group and member of the Kenya National Commission to UNESCO.
Upstage Limited is a non-profit organisation committed to advancing inclusivity and decent work for performing artists in Kenya’s creative economy. They aim to bridge the gap between creativity and income generation for East African creatives through artistic training, capacity building, and industry linkages.
DOCUBOX calls itself ‘East Africa’s home for independent filmmakers’. Convinced of the power of film to shift perspectives and challenge narratives, the organisation supports filmmakers to create engaging and authentic films reflecting diverse African identities.
Dance Into Space (DIS) is a contemporary dance company that promotes the art of dance in an inclusive, mixed-ability context, both in Kenya and across the African continent. The foundation’s mission is to produce high-quality dance for education, community development, and entertainment. They offer dance training and workshops and collaborate with local communities to foster growth.
The Kenya Institute of Puppet Theatre (KIPT) is a non-formal, dynamic, innovative and creative community-based organisation that uses puppetry and folk media in life skills promotion, education, and communication. The institute runs puppetry training and capacity building programmes, is involved in community education and outreach activities, provides internship, mentorship and attachment programmes, and organises the biannual International Puppet Festival (IPfest).
As a socially minded artists’ collective, Creative Spills seeks to facilitate the creation and showcasing of written and performed poetry that harnesses the power of expression as a tool for education and development. The collective was founded with the aim of integrating various art forms to create a conduit for advocacy, education, and information dissemination. They aim to contribute to the education of a young generation conscious of their environment and its development.
Amani People’s Theatre (APT) was founded in 1994 by young African artist-peacebuilders and brings together a group of volunteer artists who turn their creative skills into theatre that contributes to a society of peace. They adopting an interactive multi-arts approach to integrate education, entertainment an research in the search for creative non-violent responses to conflict.
The Association of Animation Artistes Kenya (A3K) is the leading community of animation professionals in Kenya. The association unites creatives from across the country working in diverse animation and visual effects disciplines, thereby fostering growth and development in the animation sector through collaboration, networking, and policy advocacy. Their activities include workshops, training and mentorship programmes, and exhibitions.
About the initiative
Kenya is said to be one of the most crucial (creative) economy hubs in East Africa. The country's creative sector is vibrant and bursting with talent, with a bustling young creative scene. However, despite this potential, the creative sector in Kenya is facing challenges related to limited investments and commercialization of cultural and artistic creations, among other things.
Africalia seeks to address these challenges by offering financial support to projects that will diversify cultural goods and enhance local distribution capacities, all while strengthening the network of creatives in Nairobi. The initiative will furthermore contribute to extending the accessibility of culture to areas that usually have limited access to it.
The selected organisations will implement their projects between February 2025 and June 2026.
