Project Art-Life-Hood is a dynamic initiative aimed at integrating the arts into Nairobi’s neighborhoods through community outreach, cultural activation concerts, and public engagement programs. The project fosters an ecosystem where artists, particularly in marginalized communities, can entertain, educate, and empower their audiences while promoting artistic excellence and social dialogue - helping to weave creative arts into the very fabric of the city's neighborhood life.
The platform’s flagship events are:
KEEP-IT-LIT - NAIROBI MULTI-ARTS STREET ACTIVATION CONCERTS run under the theme Art ‘4’ All (A.4.A). This initiative targets to engage over 3,000 young artists from diverse creative disciplines, including Music, Performing Arts, Fashion, Crafts, Architecture, Film, and Literature.
NAIROBI BATTLE OF THE RAPS competition is designed to empower emerging Hip Hop Artists and Lyrical Poets from underserved and marginalized communities in the greater Nairobi Metropolitan area - the initiative serves to provide Lyrical Artists with versatile performance platforms, while gaining the visibility they need to enhancing their competitiveness and creative expression
PROJECT VISION
To empower young artists by fostering excellence in community-driven art-making and providing opportunities for creative expression within underserved communities. The initiative supports:
Individual artists addressing social issues through their work.
Arts organizations collaborating with local communities.
Arts educators mentoring and training youth.
Institutions and businesses that create spaces for showcasing community arts.
PROJECT MISSION
The project aims to position creativity and cultural dialogue at the heart of Nairobi’s economic and social recovery, particularly in response to post-COVID economic challenges. By training, resourcing, and supporting artists, the initiative will strengthen Nairobi’s arts and culture ecosystem, making artistic expression a vital force for transformation.
KEY PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Project Art-Life-Hood features a diverse array of multidisciplinary arts programs, including:
Community Arts Symposium – A platform for discussion, collaboration, and knowledge exchange among artists, educators, and cultural stakeholders.
Live Concerts & Arts Exhibitions – Featuring open-mic sessions in music, dance, acrobatics, comedy, percussion, opera, theatre, puppetry, poetry, storytelling, film, and literary arts.
Make-Shift Community Galleries – Showcasing visual arts, photography, 3D & gaming arts innovations.
Fashion and Body Arts Showcase – Featuring creative costuming, body painting, hairdressing arts, and beadwork.
Crafts Expo – Dedicated to sculpting, pottery, basketry, and other traditional crafts.
New Artistic Experiences – Introducing local artists and communities to exciting and unexplored dimensions of the arts within their neighborhoods.
GEOGRAPHIC FOCUS
The initiative will strengthen creative and cultural networks in underserved and marginalized communities across the Nairobi Metropolitan region, including:
Nairobi County
Kiambu County
Machakos County
Kajiado County
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS
Project Budget: US$ 0 (seeking funding support)
Project Duration: Two Year Cycle Program
Target Beneficiaries: 560 young at-risk artists, including women and individuals with disabilities per 2 year project cycle.
PROJECT PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS
Nairobi City County (Department of Culture)
State Department for Youth Affairs & The Arts
Funding Partners: Still Looking for Funding Partners
STRATEGIC PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The project is founded on ten core beliefs that guide its implementation:
Building a Creative Generation – Cultivate inquisitive, persistent, imaginative, disciplined, and collaborative young artists through co-creation and community engagement.
Using Art for Social Dialogue – Provide expressive platforms that track youth voices, unify communities, and promote values that bridge societal divides.
Driving Cultural Integration – Bring together diverse creative and cultural practitioners to foster cultural awareness and make a lasting impact on young people’s lives.
Addressing Psycho-Social Shocks – Use artistic expression to mitigate the effects of substance abuse and other social challenges affecting youth.
Strengthening the Cultural Landscape – Amplify the representation of young artists in cultural policy and develop arts programs that are locally rooted yet globally relevant.
Enhancing Impact through Collaboration – Work towards shared long-term goals that contribute to the future of Nairobi’s creative economy.
Monetizing Arts & Culture – Equip artists with entrepreneurial and market-oriented skills to sustainably commercialize their creative work.
CONCLUSION
