The inaugural Nomadic Arts Festival was successfully held at the Chandaria Auditorium, Visa Oshwal Centre, in Westlands, Nairobi, on December 6, 2024.
The festival, organised by Content House Kenya, brought together artists from Northern Kenya and Nairobi in a celebration of diverse art and culture, through powerful music performances, some laced with storytelling sessions responding to issues communities in the Northern Kenya region face.
Intriguing performances, blending traditional rhythms with contemporary beats and jazz music, were the order of the day with the headlining acts including artists from the Turkana Sessions – Jackson Nakuwa, Mourine Apuu, Jackson Ekori, Elizabeth Katiko, and Nairobi jazz artist Eddie Grey (also festival music director). The artists performed songs and medleys in collaboration with soulful Swahili singer Sanaipei Tande alongside Nairobi’s HVMND Orchestra, aka Turkana Sessions Orchestra.
Other artists from Northern Kenya who performed included Nectar Boy, Catherine Natiir, Lemarti, and Akidah, who collaborated with Dylan-S, a DJ and music composer from Ewaso Records. The festival’s after-party at Geco Central (Sarakasi Dome) saw some of Nairobi’s finest Afro-House DJs: Dylan-S, Euggy, and MGM impress the crowds with tribal music mash-ups alongside Mosse Percussionist, a talented percussionist from Nairobi.
Content House Kenya CEO and festival director Jackie Lebo shared: “Our vision was to create a platform where artists from Northern Kenya could showcase their work and rich cultural heritage to audiences who had not encountered it before, and that was achieved beautifully. It was amazing to showcase a music extravaganza from a place of our own cultures while incorporating modern integration at the festival.”
After the successful debut, the Nomadic Arts Festival will be an annual event. “Next year, it will be bigger, with more artists and a more vibrant marketplace,” Lebo confirmed. “We haven’t even begun to scratch the surface in terms of community diversity, collaborations, and artistic excellence possible. It might even be in a surprise location. Stay tuned for more details!”
With the aim of fostering economic opportunities through art, thefestival also had a small marketplace for local artisans and businesses who presented their regalia and products whilehighlighting the positive attributes of Northern Kenya.
The Nomadic Arts Festival is the first of its kind event that will continue to invite artists from other areas in Northern Kenya in collaboration with acts from Nairobi and beyond to celebrate unique forms of expression to highlight and preserve art forms from the region and create connections across cultures through music and art.
In 2014, Content House was invited to Turkana to make a documentary on the recent natural resource discoveries in the region. After experiencing the rich artistic and cultural heritage of the region, Content House created a companion project: The Turkana Artists Xchange, to enable the participation of many more artists. The Artists Xchange project brings together artists from Turkana and Nairobi to produce work that responds to the issues facing the Northern Kenya region. The artists’ work spans various disciplines including music, video art, film, fashion, visual art, and photography. After completing seven projects (including Turkana Sessions) in the Xchange, they scaled the project by creating the festival—a platform where more artists from Northern Kenya can interact with larger audiences.
For more information, visit Content House’s official website, or follow on social media at @contenthouseke and @nomadicartsfestival for exclusive updates and behind-the-scenes content.
