The British Council has announced the recipients of its Catalyst Grants, a key initiative leading up to the 2025 UK/Kenya Season. The grants are designed to foster new creative partnerships and cultural exchanges between artists and organisations in the UK and Kenya.
Joyce Nzovu, Arts Project Manager for Kenya, highlighted the importance of the Catalyst Grants, saying, “These grants are crucial for promoting cultural exchange and collaborative innovation between the UK and Kenya. They offer artists from both countries the chance to connect, share ideas, and explore new ways of working together.”
The selected projects cover a range of artistic fields and themes. Notable projects include:
- “Making Space”: A collaboration between Transform Festival (UK) and The Godown Arts Centre (Kenya), this project will explore young people’s relationships with public spaces in Leeds and Nairobi.
- Nairobi to Manchester Standup Comedy Exchange: Led by Douglas Mutai of Standup Collective (Kenya) and Creatures Comedy (UK), this project aims to connect comedy scenes in Nairobi and Manchester through live performances, workshops, and discussions.
- “The Power of the Sound System”: A partnership between Outlook Festival (UK) and Umojah Sound System (Kenya), focussing on challenges in the Kenyan music industry, including collaborations with the Deaf Centre and new music production technologies.
- Afrigamer and 492 Korna Klub: This project will use gaming to promote social activism and climate awareness, engaging young gamers and developers in Kenya through participatory theatre and storytelling.
Tom Porter, British Council’s Country Director and East African Cluster Lead, expressed enthusiasm for the grants, noting, “The Catalyst Grants showcase a diverse range of art forms and highlight the creativity of both Kenya and the UK. We look forward to seeing the impactful results of these collaborations.”
The 2025 UK/Kenya Season, presented by the British Council with UK and Kenyan partners, will celebrate creativity and cultural connections, featuring Kenyan work in the UK and vice versa. This initiative aims to strengthen partnerships and increase investment in the arts.
King Richard is the Group Editor at African Leadership Magazine and can reached via email. king.richards@africanleadership.co.uk
