Nairobi Arts Biennale
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NAIROBI ARTS BIENNALE ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC
PIVOT TOWARD 2028 LAUNCH
The Nairobi Arts Biennale leadership team today announced a revised programming timeline, moving the inaugural Biennale to late 2028 to focus on building a strategic long-term foundation.
NAIROBI, KENYA — Tuesday, September 1, 2026 — The leadership team of the Nairobi Arts Biennale today announced a major strategic recalibration of its programming timeline, officially moving the full-scale inaugural Biennale event to late 2028. Between now and then, the organization will channel its resources into a comprehensive foundational phase focused on deep organizational stability, grassroots workshops, community discussions, and internal infrastructure development.
This proactive decision is rooted in a clear-eyed assessment of the shifting regional landscape. The next two years are anticipated to bring significant, fast-moving political transitions and potential administrative disruptions across the country. Recognizing that building a sustainable, deeply rooted cultural institution on shifting sand is impossible, the leadership team is anchoring its full launch in 2028. This runway ensures the Biennale remains fully insulated from short-term political cycles, maintains absolute autonomy, and is positioned to engage independently with all future stakeholders when the climate stabilizes.
While administrative bottlenecks and persistent, systemic delays in the current external environment have proven that a rushed 2026 launch would compromise the project’s curatorial vision, the Biennale leadership refuses to let external inefficiencies dictate its output. The pivot marks a deliberate choice to build strictly on the community's own terms, protecting the integrity and purpose of the artists and the wider East African creative ecosystem.
Although the full calendar scales back to an internal foundational process of planning and workshops, the commitment to the Biennale's core public actions remains immediate and absolute:
• The SOS Show: This vital exhibition will move forward on its newly scheduled date, Saturday, November 7, 2026. An official open call for artists and participants will be released in the next few days.
• The Kibera Arts Parade: This cornerstone public action returns to its traditional calendar window, officially scheduled for Saturday, December 5, 2026.
In the coming weeks, specific updates regarding upcoming workshop tracks, open calls, and programming locations will be shared directly with partners and waiting participants. The work of building an unshakeable, self-determined creative future continues without pause.
MEDIA CONTACT QUOTES
Jamey Ponte, Founder & Artistic Director "To build a cultural institution that lasts for generations, we must ensure it is built on a stable, long-term foundation. Rushing a full-scale inaugural launch during a period of intense national transition would compromise the curatorial vision and the sustainability of the project. By anchoring our full launch in 2028, we are ensuring the Biennale has the proper runway to develop deep organizational stability and operate with a complete professional standard. Our focus remains exactly where it has always been—on delivering immediate value to the East African arts community through the SOS Show this November and the Kibera Arts Parade in December." Patrick (Pato) Othieno, Community Lead "We never built the Kibera Arts District just to have another arts space; we built it to establish long-term community ownership. Our approach to the Nairobi Arts Biennale is no different. By giving our community a place to create, learn, lead, and tell its own story, we are driving true systemic change. I believe our greatest responsibility is to build something that belongs to the people—not just for today, but for generations to come. We are investing in artists, young people, creative spaces, and opportunities that grow from the ground up. This entire effort is about dignity, ownership, and showing the world what is possible when a community is trusted to shape its own future." Santana Sino, Lead Gallery Director & Programming Coordinator "The love and passion we have seen from the community for this Biennale are undeniable, and we want to build on that energy by creating spaces where people can genuinely take part. Through the upcoming workshops and our three new gallery actions, we are creating more opportunities for artists and the wider community to meet, collaborate, and shape what this Biennale becomes. This is about strengthening what we can build from the ground up and putting community-led curation at the centre of the work."
Media Contact:
Nairobi Arts Biennale
Email: Jamey@HouseOfFriendsKenya.com
Cell: +254 741 443 678 (Pato)
WhatsApp: +1 513 545 5332 (Jamey)
Website: NairobiArtsBiennale.com
Jamey Ponte, Artistic Director
WhatsApp: +1 513 545 5332
Email: Jamey@HouseOfFriendsKenya.com
Patrick Othieno -Event Producer
Cell: 0741443678 • WhatsApp: +254 775 084210
Email: patothieno491@gmail.com
Santana Sino -Exhibitions Officer
Cell & WhatsApp: +254 728 463822
Email: graphicsmeans2050@gmail.com
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January 10, 2026
Nairobi Arts Biennale 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nairobi Arts Biennale 2026 Launches Global Call for Artists, Enthusiasts & Collectors
NAIROBI, KENYA — January 10, 2026 — The Artistic Director and organizing committee of the Nairobi Arts Biennale 2026 are proud to announce the official launch of Kenya’s most ambitious contemporary and historical art celebration. Scheduled to run from October 24 through November 8, 2026, the Biennale issues a global call for artists, arts collaboratives, galleries, and cultural stakeholders to join the movement shaping the future of the East African Arts Community while delivering a true experience of Kenya’s art scene to enthusiasts and collectors worldwide.
Under the theme “Our Art & Future: Your True Experience,” – the event will transform Nairobi into a city-wide expression of ‘Art’ with venues throughout the city. The Biennale aims to bridge the gap between local identity and global dialogue, offering a premier platform for both established and emerging voices to showcase works that explore fresh concepts, sustainable materials, and cutting-edge technology.
“This is more than a grouping of exhibitions; it is an artistic movement that highlights who Kenya is and where we are heading,” said the Artistic Director. “We are inviting the world to experience our art, our voice through a diverse range of mediums, from traditional sculpture and painting to AI, VR, performance, and installation.”
A Call for Diverse Participation
The Nairobi Arts Biennale 2026 seeks participation from a wide spectrum of creatives, including:
Visual & Fine Arts: Painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, film, and ceramics.
Digital & New Media: AI, Virtual Reality (VR), and Augmented Reality (AR).
Performance & Literary: Spoken word, poetry, storytelling, and community-based "artivism."
Design & Installation: Fashion, murals, makers, and large-scale installations.
Opportunities for Collaboration
The committee is calling on artists, galleries, art initiatives, hotels, venues, and tour agencies to join this cultural ecosystem. Participants will gain significant international exposure while contributing to a movement that redefines the Kenyan art scene for the next generation.
About the Artistic Director
The Biennale is led by Jamey Ponte (Babu), a renowned "artivist" and founder of House of Friends Kenya (HOF), the Kibera Arts District (KAD), and Art Riot Press. With over two decades of experience in East Africa, Ponte has pioneered the use of art as a tool for systemic change, social justice, environment and wildlife.
Under his leadership, the HOF Gallery Kibera has become a vital community hub, hosting major events like the SOS ART Kenya exhibition and the annual Kibera Arts Parade & Carnival. Ponte’s work focuses on empowering artists to become "groundbreakers and thinkers" who use their craft to address critical issues like human rights and sustainability. His deep-rooted commitment to community-based art ensures that the 2026 Biennale will be more than a global showcase—it will be a platform for authentic Kenyan voices to lead the future of international art dialogue.
Engagement and Next Steps
The Biennale team is currently hosting virtual and in-person forums to discuss the official event prospectus. Interested artists and collaborators are encouraged to schedule a consultation to secure their participation in this defining event.
For inquiries, to request a prospectus, or to schedule a meeting, please contact the committee via the Participant Pre-Registration link or visit: https://houseoffriendskenya.com/nairobi-arts-biennale
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Media Contact:
Nairobi Arts Biennale 2026 Organizing Committee
Email: Jamey@HouseOfFriendsKenya.com
Cell: +254 741 443 678 (Pato)
WhatsApp: +1 513 545 5332 (Jamey)
Website: NairobiArtsBiennale.com
Notes to Editors:
High-resolution images of past Kibera Arts District projects and the 2026 Biennale digital prospectus are available upon request.
Interviews with Jamey Ponte, Patrick Othieno, Santana Sino, participating local artists and stakeholders can be arranged via the Media Contact.
Jamey Ponte, Artistic Director
WhatsApp: +1 513 545 5332
Email: Jamey@HouseOfFriendsKenya.com
Patrick Othieno -Event Producer
Cell: 0741443678 • WhatsApp: +254 775 084210
Email: patothieno491@gmail.com
Santana Sino -Exhibitions Officer
Cell & WhatsApp: +254 728 463822
Email: graphicsmeans2050@gmail.com
