The LET’S TALK ART workshop series is a transformative monthly workshop program designed to offer a wide array of topics related to Making Arts Making A Living to support public arts education. Through innovative arts programming, the project aims to address challenges hindering the development of arts, particularly in low-income neighborhoods, by equipping marginalized young artists with essential industry knowledge like arts monetization, arts artivism, policy making and advocacy, technical skills like digital application and marketing, project management, as well as provide global cultural market insights – that will enable them embrace new paradigms of artmaking and enhance their market competitiveness.

The workshops focus on empowering over 3,000 vulnerable Nairobi youth (with a 2:1 female-to-male ratio), including individuals living with disabilities, street families, and those from impoverished backgrounds. These young artists will gain access to professional coaching, mentorship, and hands-on training while networking with leading arts educators, digital marketing experts, and brand developers. The initiative seeks to enhance their participation in Kenya’s Creative and Cultural Industries (CCIs) and provide avenues for sustainable artistic career

PROJECT VISION

To combat poverty and youth unemployment by fostering a creative environment where emerging artists can develop their skills through experiential learning and expert mentorship, ultimately improving the quality of their work for the global market.

PROJECT MISSION

To train and empower young artists by offering community-driven opportunities for dialogue, co-creation, and professional development. The project will support:

Individual artists addressing social issues through their work.

Arts practitioners collaborating with local communities.

Arts educators mentoring young creatives.

Institutions and business leaders providing platforms for showcasing community arts.

PROJECT FOCUS

The initiative is dedicated to giving emerging but disadvantaged artists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to develop their artistic skills through structured training workshops. It fosters alternative, circular solutions and co-creation models that drive artistic innovation, competitiveness, and creative entrepreneurship.

The project will be coordinated by Art-Life Group in collaboration with key partners, including:

University of Nairobi (School of Music)

Nairobi City County (Department of Culture)

State Department for Youth Affairs & The Arts

Additionally, exciting partnerships will be established with arts organizations, educators, and public institutions to provide a comprehensive mentoring program that supports young artists in shaping their futures.

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION DETAILS

Project Budget: US$ 0 (seeking funding support)

Project Duration: Training Series Run on One Year Program Cycle

Target Beneficiaries: 300 Young At-Risk Artists, including Women, Individuals with Disabilities, and Underserved Communities per One Year Program Cycle.

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

The following objectives will guide the program’s execution:

Enhancing Creativity & Well-being – Strengthen artistic skills and improve livelihoods.

Encouraging Dialogue & Social Cohesion – Promote healing and unity through the arts.

Building Digital & Branding Competencies – Equip young artists with essential digital marketing skills.

Creating Pathways for Wealth & Employment – Enable sustainable economic opportunities through arts.

Promoting Arts Activism (Artivism) – Use art as a tool for collective action and social impact.

Positioning Culture & Creativity in Development – Integrate young artists into the economic and social fabric.

Fostering Collaborative Learning – Implement systematic and adaptive working approaches.

Establishing a Sustainable Long-term Strategy – Develop a robust framework for continuous program evaluation and improvement.

This initiative underscores the commitment of Art-Life Group and its partners to fostering artistic excellence, economic empowerment, and social transformation among Nairobi’s underserved young artists.