The Power of Arts and Culture for Healing: A Transformative Experience in Nairobi
Last spring, a group of 30 African artists gathered in Nairobi, Kenya, for a unique convening titled “The Power of Arts and Culture for Healing.” Curated by Molemo Moiloa and Phumzile Nombuso Twala of Andani.Africa and organized by the Quaker American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), the event aimed to explore generational collective healing in the face of trauma, war, and genocide. The artists came from diverse disciplines and regions, including Kenya, Sudan, Somalia, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Namibia, and Nigeria, creating a close-knit community over several days.
The convening opened with invocations each morning, setting the tone for vulnerable discussions and shared experiences. Through artist talks, musical performances, film screenings, and shared meals, the participants delved into the complexities of trauma and repair. The gathering highlighted the potential of the institutional art world to foster radical exchange, where art’s poetic, experimental, political, and healing values can resonate.
The trip to Kenya was initially seen as a respite from challenges in the United States, but news of Cameroonian curator Koyo Kouoh’s sudden death cast a shadow over the event. Kouoh, known for her visionary work in the global art world, had been slated to curate the 61st Venice Biennale. Her passing underscored the fragility of cultural work and the personal costs involved in reshaping colonial narratives.
The legacy of past cultural gatherings, such as the First World Festival of Black Arts and Carifesta, informed the discussions in Nairobi. These historic events, rooted in Pan-Africanism and Negritude, laid the foundation for the resurgence of investment in similar gatherings today. The importance of face-to-face interactions and intentional connections in building transnational solidarity was a recurring theme.
The gathering also highlighted the role of art in healing and resistance. Theatre director Hope Azeda shared her experience of returning to Rwanda to address intergenerational trauma from the genocide. Her story exemplified the need to reconcile with the past and traditions as a pathway to healing and progress.
The passing of cultural luminaries like Kouoh, Bisi Silva, and Okwui Enwezor raised questions about the toll of cultural work on Black practitioners. The concept of healing through art was reaffirmed as a vital and ongoing process, essential for individual and collective resistance.
As the convening in Nairobi came to a close, the participants left with a renewed commitment to transnational solidarity and a shared vision of working in “minor keys” — subtle registers that offer refuge and propose radical alternatives to oppressive systems. The experience served as a testament to the transformative power of arts and culture in fostering healing and resilience in the face of adversity.
