THE GODOWN ARTS CENTRE

The GoDown is a series of workshops open to all, where young Kenyan artists display their creativity through painting, design, sculpture, music, dance, theater... It is in all its artistic variety and diversity that lies the strength of this Kenyan non-profit cultural organization, which was gradually created in the 1990s, until it was officially established in 2003. An interesting place to discover many talents, a place of exchange and encounters, where all artistic fibers are free to express themselves. Since 2019, the center has been undergoing transformation, but has not yet moved. A more contemporary version of the project can be seen here: godowntransforms.org. The arts complex is located in Nairobi's industrial zone, in a 10,000 m² warehouse, formerly dedicated to car repairs, with studios, rehearsal spaces and painters' workshops. The center aims to contribute to the growth, recognition and visibility of local artists by promoting and facilitating collaborations and encounters between artists from different disciplines and different parts of the world. The new GoDown Arts Centre is to cover an area of 30,000 m². The modern structure, designed by Stockholm, Sweden-based architects White Arkitekter, is to include three floors of art galleries, a 300-seat multi-purpose auditorium, a digital resource center, a children's creative studio and 20 music and film studios. This ambitious project was due to open in 2021. However, the US$20 million required for its construction has not yet been raised in full. The GoDown Board of Directors has contributed $2 million to the project, and crowdfunding programs have been set up, but the target is still a long way off. GoDown is therefore also targeting companies and the government for financial support. Let's hear it! If the project goes ahead, it will be the first major public complex dedicated to the visual and performing arts to be built since Kenya's independence in 1963. The first of its kind in East Africa, this center could boost the cultural sector by providing a platform for hosting, exhibiting and producing art, with greater visibility both locally and internationally, while enabling the development of a plural and independent artistic production.