Art, Work, Dignity: Voices of Young Creatives from Nairobi’s Informal Settlements.

During the month of October, The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), in collaboration with Christian Aid Kenya organized Creatives Dialogue Series across four informal settlements of Nairobi County – Dagoretti, Kabiria, Kibera, and Mowlem.

These dialogues brought together over 120 young male and female creatives, including poets, artists, dancers, graffiti, photographers, designers, and musicians, each carrying stories of resilience and struggle in an industry full of potential yet constrained by systemic, structural, and political neglect.

With the objective of providing creatives with safe spaces to talk about the challenges grassroots creatives face and organizing them to engage in governance processes, what emerged from these conversations was a shared reality that Kenya’s creative economy, despite its vibrancy, remains structurally unfair and largely forgotten.

Across the sessions, many creatives spoke of being exploited – invited to perform in certain events without pay, losing intellectual property to powerful intermediaries, or being locked out of tenders by gatekeepers who control access to opportunities.

For young female creatives, the barriers were even scarier. Some recounted experiences of sexual gender-based violence, harassment, and exclusion from leadership spaces where creative opportunities are discussed, while others, particularly dancers, highlighted how their performance is undervalued due to their physical appearance that subject them to online bullying and comparison to male physique. The Kenya Creative Economy Policy 2024 acknowledges these challenges.

These governance and rights violations persists despite the government’s long-standing promise to position the creative economy as a key pillar of Kenya’s socio-economic growth. A 2024 Creative Sector and Youth Employment in Kenya Report indicated that the government committed to making creativity a major economic driver by doubling the 5% gross domestic product (GDP) contribution by 2025. Yet, in recent years, investment, policy reforms, and reliable data on the sector’s contribution to GDP have been minimal.

As a result, most creative work remains informal and unprotected, leaving thousands of talented young creatives, like the ones TISA engaged during the dialogue series, invisible in employment statistics and excluded from social protection systems as their work is seen as second to other jobs.

As one young male visual artist from Kaberia put it, “We paint the country’s story, but no one seems to see us in it.” This statement captures the frustration of a generation contributing to Kenya’s vibrant culture and identity, yet struggling for recognition, fairness, and opportunity.

At TISA, we believe that creativity is not just a form of expression. It is a source of livelihood, innovation, and CIVIC POWER. When supported and protected, the creative economy can drive local economies, challenge corruption, and amplify community voices in demanding good governance and rights.

For policy recommendations, we are of the view that:

• Make good use of the existing Kenya Creative Economy Policy to guarantee fair access to public creative opportunities, performance spaces, especially for youth and women from informal settlements.
• Fast-track passing of the Creative Economy Support Bill 2024 into law to regulate and provide a conducive working environment that recognizes creativity a business for sustainable livelihoods.
• Establish Creative Accountability Desks within County Wards/ County Governments to address cases of exploitation, harassment, and unpaid work.

We call upon Kenyans to see creativity as not just a hobby but a work (business), culture, and citizenship in motion. If we can protect young creatives from exploitation and dismantle the barriers that gatekeep opportunity, Kenyan can transform its creative economy into a fair and thriving sector that upholds dignity, inclusion, and rights for all.