Last February, with Africalia’s support, Santuri East Africa held the Kilele Summit 2025 in Nairobi. As the only summit in East Africa dedicated to music technology and innovation, the event’s second edition hosted numerous workshops, panels, talks, installations, showcases, screenings, and more. The audience experienced firsthand how Kenya’s music scene is a true force for social innovation.
Kilele Summit
Santuri East Africa, the organisation behind Kilele Summit, describes the event as “a space for adventurous music and culture, sparking conversations, collaborations, and innovations”. From February 18th to 22nd, The Mall in Nairobi was transformed into the setting of a summit on the future of East African music. For five days, Kilele welcomed musicians and producers, technologists, activists, and even academics to celebrate innovative practices in the music industry. Among the artists performing were internationally renowned musicians, but also creatives from underground collectives. As an organisation primarily pursuing the interests of the community, Santuri East Africa indeed prioritised inclusivity and diversity at the summit.
Following a successful first edition of Kilele in 2024, the 2025 edition definitely also hit the mark. Over 5 days, the summit hosted no less than 2400 guests, who came to enjoy vibrant music performances, to broaden their horizons through informative panels, or to let loose during cutting-edge DJ sets. With 87 performers and participants coming from 20 countries, Kilele Summit clearly demonstrated that technology and innovation in the music sector transcend national boundaries and have the power to bring people together.
Santuri East Africa and Africalia
Santuri East Africa is a community-focused music innovation hub striving for a more equitable, authentic, and diverse music industry. Africalia has teamed up with Santuri East Africa in the framework of the initiative to support to ten cultural organisations in Nairobi. After a call for proposals for cultural projects in Nairobi County at the end of 2024, Santuri East Africa’s project to organise the second edition of Kilele Summit was withheld. By supporting the organisation of such innovative events, Africalia aims to unlock the great potential of Kenya’s culture sector and its bustling creative scene, strengthening the network of creatives and extending the accessibility of culture.
Santuri East Africa’s Kilele Summit is the first of the ten projects receiving Africalia’s support to have been implemented. Stay tuned for updates on the other activities yet to come!
©Santuri East Africa
