Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it ~ Bertolt Brecht.

The GoDown Arts Center is a founding member of the Creative Economy Working Group (CEWG). It stands out as the platform that has nurtured many in Kenya and in the East African region. This manna was delivered at the turn of the new millennium and it has gone on to continue feeding and nourishing the arts and culture space to date. The multidisciplinary arts and culture center based on Dunga Road, Industrial Area- Nairobi has the goal of facilitating the development of diverse art forms and the emergence of independent artists who are blessed with skills and talents that would enable them to earn a dignified living from their craft. At  its inception, the GoDown’s primary focus was on three art forms; music, visual arts and contemporary dance. 

At the helm of it all is Ms. Joy Mboya, an architect and artist in her own right. Coming from an artistic family, Joy balanced studying architecture at  the prestigious Princeton university with singing in an all-women band; Musikly Speaking.  Joy came back home with the burning desire of starting a space that would provide a platform for artists to display their work and get recognized for it. From this came the establishment of the GoDown Arts Center in 2003 with the support of The Ford Foundation. The Center  has consolidated itself and has gone over and beyond being a springboard for artists to an established hub of promoting creativity, entrepreneurship and the community at large. 

Significantly, the establishment of the GoDown happened at a time where Kenya was going through political changes. Multi-party politics had taken root and a new president (Mwai Kibaki) had been elected. There was a new-found enthusiasm and optimism in the country and a youthful energy that had potential to ignite growth in sectors such as the arts and culture. The GoDown rode on this wave and was able to launch with considerable success.   

Over the years, the GoDown has been the orchestrator behind several activities and campaigns that have aimed to promote local artists, creative expression and building the community. One of them is the ‘Nai Ni Who’ festival which is an exploration of the city, celebrating the good, the bad and the possibilities of Nairobi. The beauty of this is that it is all through the eyes and experiences of its residents. The festival showcases Nairobi’s diverse communities and ‘hoods’ that contribute to the vibrancy of the city. Aside from this is  ‘The GoDown Gig’ which was a highly anticipated live music performance that ran between 2013 and February 2019. It was designed to showcase local talent at its best and no cover charge meant music lovers thronged to this concert. Musicians such as Nonini, Jua Cali, Sanaipei Tande and Nameless credit The GoDown Gig as being instrumental to shaping their music careers.

As the years went by, The GoDown Arts Center reached new heights. Consequently, there was a need to expand. Around 2011, broad conversations between various stakeholders were held and this birthed The GoDown Transformation where the vision was (and still is) to build a new GoDown that will serve as a space for community, culture and creativity. In this regard, the new building represents a massive scale-up both on a physical level and in terms of the impact of arts and culture to the public. 

Profoundly, the new GoDown embodies a civic institution for arts, culture and heritage, the first of its kind for the city of Nairobi. As such, the aspect of collaboration in the development of the new GoDown is key. It is evident in how the vision came about. Engagement with architects, city planners, artists, residents of Nairobi, city officials and students was crucial as the new establishment is seen as a project of the people by the people. 

The new GoDown will be set in the area that housed the old establishment occupying over 25,000 square feet and is set to be a melting pot of arts and culture. It will have three courtyards.The first will encompass galleries, a library, an auditorium, a museum, offices and restaurants. The second courtyard will have dance studios and offices for the artist organizations. Finally, a third intimate courtyard will comprise two stories of visual art studios – painting, sculpting, installations and mixed media. To cap it off will be a tower block that will have a boutique art hotel that is projected to provide income that will contribute to sustaining the arts center.  

In terms of funding for this project, Joy Mboya & Co. decided to flip the script. In her own words, “The history of this sector is that the money has always come from outside. Is it possible that we can flip this idea, and say, how can Kenya be the main stakeholder in terms of the financing of this building?” So in that sense, they developed a system that allows wananchi to contribute any amount that they can to go into realizing this project. Aside from this, people can contribute in non-monetary ways like through their skills or labor. As of now, construction work is at its initial stages.

 Through the spirited community mobilization, they have been able to raise enough money for excavation. Still, more needs to be done. The organic approach taken towards building the new GoDown means that it will take more time to accomplish this project. That in itself is a challenge but for Joy and her team, it is a small price to pay. For the community, this presents them an opportunity to tell their stories in their own way through art. Also, they have the chance to indulge in the large palette of contemporary art that will be on offer and derive great joy and pleasure while doing so.

A big cog in the creative sector, the GoDown Arts center, through its management has been able to contribute massively to the larger economy. Within the GoDown is a Creative Entrepreneurship training course for creatives and artists across all disciplines. The course seeks to empower art practitioners with entrepreneurial skills. Professionals working in creative and cultural industries offer practice-based instruction and mentorship to the creatives, thus increasing their economic power. In addition, the GoDown also offers CopyrightX, which is aimed at equipping creatives with knowledge on their intellectual property. This course is facilitated through the auspices of  Harvard Law School (HLS), the HarvardX distance-learning initiative, and the Berkman Klein Centre for Internet and Society. The GoDown has created a more informed creative space by expanding the skills and knowledge of the creative beyond what he/she already knows.   

Moreover, the GoDown has been a catalyst for social change, using art as a medium to address pressing social issues and foster dialogue. Through various programs and initiatives, the center has tackled topics such as gender equality, environmental conservation, and youth empowerment. By integrating these themes into artistic expression, the GoDown has not only elevated the discourse around these issues but also inspired action and advocacy within the community.

In conclusion, the GoDown Arts Center stands as a testament to the transformative power of art and culture. It has become a beacon of hope and a symbol of resilience for artists and the broader community. As it continues to grow and evolve, the GoDown will undoubtedly play an even more significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of Kenya and beyond. The future of the GoDown is bright, and its impact will be felt for generations to come, as it remains dedicated to nurturing talent, fostering creativity, and building a more vibrant and inclusive society.