Strengthening the cultural sector

1. Nairobi and culture

Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya, and Nairobi County is an attractive destination for trade, tourism, education, residence and other social activities. Its population is diverse, with many tribes, nationalities and races as residents. The County experiences a positive net migration that, coupled with rapid population growth, has been a factor in emergence and proliferation of slums, which have comparatively lower access to services and utilities. Moreover, another key challenge is non-completion of projects across the county sectors due to budgetary constraints, as well as constraints in service delivery.

Artists face challenges due to conflicting and /or inadequate laws. It is crucial for Nairobi City County, to take proactive steps in securing the status of artists within its legal framework and administrative practices. It is equally important that the County elevates culture in its strategy to foster a vibrant cultural scene, attracting tourism and stimulating economic growth.

2. Goals and implementation of the project

2.1. Main aim and specific goals

The aim is to strengthen the cultural sector through strong regulatory frameworks, mapping and capacity building in Nairobi City County. Its specific goals are:

• Mapping the creative and cultural industries in Nairobi City County.
• Capacity Building for County cultural and tourism officers.
• Review of Cultural Policy and Legislation in Nairobi County.

The aim is to  strengthen the cultural sector through strong regulatory frameworks, mapping and capacity-building in Nairobi City Council.

2.2. Development of the project

The objective of this project, initiated by Nairobi City County, is to establish a systematic, evidence-based approach towards fostering an attractive, vibrant, and prosperous city. By building capacities for consistent data collection, as well as policy and legislation formulation, the project aims to address existing gaps in cultural governance and support to the creative and cultural industries.

This action targets the creative and cultural sector in Nairobi, and its main activities were:

• Capacity building for culture & tourism officers:
  • Introducing the creative and cultural industry and its domains (such visual arts, cultural heritage, books & press, etc.).
  • Raising understanding the first stage of data gathering, namely mapping cultural infrastructure in all the domain areas in Nairobi City sub-counties.
  • Introducing the data collection method i.e. the KOBO application which is easy to use. It is a reliable software able to collect, analyze, and manage data for surveys, monitoring, evaluation.
  • Organizing the officers in teams to gather first stage data (which was generally completed. successfully).
• Data gathering on cultural infrastructure in the boroughs of the County:
  • The officers were introduced to the KOBO application for data gathering.
  • They learned how to use this tool practically off their phones.
  • Working in teams they gathered the requisite data and submitted them for analysis.
  • The GoDown Arts Centre analysed and visualized the results for the County.
• Policy and Legislation Review:
  • The County is poised to conduct reviews of its cultural policy and legislation environment through broad stakeholder engagement, using data -evidence from the data collection phase.

Strengthening Nairobi County’s cultural sector has been executed in phases over time:

1. 2017, legislation was formulated but without robust stakeholder inputs. Guiding policy was also not created. The impacts of the legislation were not felt on the ground as there was no implementation.
2. In the next phase of the action, in 2020, cultural statistics training was provided to county staff by UNESCO experts. The County then set out to develop its own data collection framework but without sufficient resources to carry this out, the initiative stalled.
3. With some financial support from UNESCO, the County has embarked on the goals above - mapping, capacity building for culture and tourism officer, and review of the policy and legislative environment for culture with promising results.

Key partners in the project include UNESCO, the GoDown Arts Centre supported by the Kenya Institute for Public Policy and Analysis, and the Creative Economy Working Group, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture and the Ministry of Youth, Creative Economy and Sports.

Results:

• Initial data collection has been achieved that begins to paint a picture of the cultural and tourism assets in all of Nairobi subcounties. This will assist the drafting of cultural policy and the review of the existing legislation.
• Data already collected pertaining to tourism is being used in the creation of a County tourism policy.
• Culture and tourism officers have increased their awareness on the characteristics of CCIs in Narobi and this continues to rise.

Preliminary findings, alongside ongoing capacity-building efforts, are providing valuable insights with regard to the distribution and prevalence of cultural and tourism infrastructure within Nairobi City County. Further data collection and analysis, as well as continued skill enhancement, will empower County officials to make informed decisions and strategic plans that enhance the cultural and tourism landscape.

This project includes capacity-building for culture and tourism officers, data gathering on cultural infrastructure, and policy and legislation review.

3. Impacts 

3.1. Direct impacts

Currently, no county in Kenya has yet a comprehensive framework for recognizing the status of artists or collecting cultural statistics. By establishing a baseline through this project, Nairobi is setting the stage for similar initiatives at both national and county levels, which will contribute to improved cultural governance and development nationwide.

Improved understanding of culture and the creative economy and its contribution to the county’s prosperity, and an enhanced appreciation of cultural assets and heritage within the county boundaries has been noted. The awareness of County cultural staff on pertinent issues related to the creative and cultural industries is being raised, and they are increasingly being empowered to effectively support and engage with the culture in Nairobi County. 

Better planning for culture through evidence-based approaches that result in regular progress reviews, data collection and analysis, stakeholder feedback mechanisms, and periodic reporting to assess the achievements of the culture sector. By being open to feedback, the County may also be flexible in adjusting strategies for its culture and tourism sectors based on lessons learned.

3.2. Evaluation

To monitor and evaluate the project, approaches that use both qualitative and quantitative methods will be employed, including:

Policy and Legislation:

• Regular reviews of policies, stakeholder participation and consultation, and expert assessments to identify gaps. Progress in policy adaptation and formulation will also be tracked.
• Number of policies reviewed or formulated, stakeholder engagement levels, and alignment with pertinent international frameworks and conventions.
• Policy analysis frameworks, stakeholder surveys, and tracking tools will be deployed.

Capacity Building:

• Trainings for cultural and tourism officers, and associated assessment and feedback sessions.
• Participation rates and the application of learning by the officers.
• Assessments and feedback surveys.

Industry mapping:

Methodology – Field work to gather data, mapping of geographical distribution of data, engagement with stakeholders, desk research will comprise the methodology here.

Indicators – Trends, geographic coverage, data completeness, and instruments such as KOBO app, maps, stakeholder interviews.

3.3. Key factors

The success of the project hinges on:

• The collective efforts of all stakeholders, guided by a shared vision with clear objectives. Active involvement and engagement of various stakeholders such as government agencies, cultural institutions, civil society organizations, artists, and cultural professionals are essential to foster buy-in from stakeholders, and to ensure relevance and effectiveness of the project.
• Investing in capacity building for cultural officers enhances their capabilities to contribute to the project goals due to improved skills and knowledge that equips them to carry out their roles effectively.
• The role of collaborative partnerships with relevant stakeholders in bringing success to the project is well-noted – by leveraging complementary strengths and resources, and through mutual support, the project is more effectively executed.
• It is also important how the utilization of data collected through industry mapping and research enables informed decision-making and planning as data-driven insights help identify trends, gaps, and opportunities within the creative and cultural sectors, guiding policy formulation and resource allocation.

3.4. Continuity

Data collection in the creative and cultural industries has to be a continuous iterative process over a long period of time, in order to sustain an accurate up-to-date picture of the creative and cultural industries in Nairobi City.

Cultural and tourism officers could be instrumental in ensuring accuracy and consistency. Also, the sector officials, having seen the value of data for planning, will make a case for budgetary allocations to sustain the process of updating. In time, the County may consider how there are dedicated personnel in this area who are responsible for the collection, consolidation and safeguarding of all data.

Nairobi is setting the stage for similar initiatives at both national and county levels, which will contribute to improved cultural governance and development nation-wide.

4. Further information

Nairobi was a candidate for the sixth UCLG – Mexico City – Culture 21 International Award (November 2023 – March 2024). The jury for the award drew up its final report in June 2024, and requested that the Committee on Culture promote this project as one of the good practices to be implemented through Agenda 21 for culture.

This article was written by Clement Rapudo Sijenyi, County Chief Officer- City Culture, Arts and Tourism, Nairobi, Kenya.

Contact: clemo (at) ngomma.com / csijenyi (at) nairobi.go.ke
Website: www.nairobi.go.ke