ArtXchange Creative Entrepreneurship Training
Connects Creative Youth in Africa and Europe
Between 2020 and 2022, The GoDown delivered the ArtXchange Creative Entrepreneurship Training program offering creatives from Kenya and Somalia access to skills, mentorship and networks to strengthen their practice as creative businesses.
The training was part of a wider project dubbed "ArtXchange – Connecting Creative Youth in Africa and Europe". The project was funded by the European Commission as part of its AU-EU Youth Cooperation Hub. The initiative aimed to support young creative professionals and community-based organizations by promoting collaboration, capacity building and exchange among Kenya, Somalia, Italy and Sweden.
The GoDown was one of the implementing partners in the program which was spearheaded by CISP (International Committee for the Development of Peoples), in partnership with UNESCO (Eastern Africa), Natverkstan Kultur (Sweden), The Somali Academy of Science and Arts (Somalia) and Coop Culture (Italy).
The hybrid training brought the creatives, trainers and mentors together in person and virtually, using Zoom© webinars and the Moodle© open-source learning platform to deliver the training and materials to two cohorts of participants.
The residential component of the training saw the two cohorts of participants engage in practitioner-led training, mentorship sessions, networking opportunities with stakeholders from the sector, peer learning, and tours which took them to various creative spaces and art galleries around Nairobi. The practical training culminated in an Open day that saw the participants display the work they had created during the practical training. The event was attended by friends and family of the participants, creatives from the sector, trainers and facilitators of the course, the GoDown team and representatives from the lead partner, CISP.
The Project at a Glance
The two-and-a-half-year project adopted an integrated approach, based on four components, namely: 1) Capacity building of young creatives, CSOs, relevant authorities and stakeholders in the creative sector; 2) Connecting creative youth and organizations across Africa and Europe through digital platforms, exchanges and partnerships; 3) Co-creating artistic projects and productions and 4) Celebrating and sharing creative expression through events and spaces for participation, intercultural dialogue, social and economic inclusion of youth. [UNESCO]
The GoDown also sat on the project steering committee which played an advisory role for the project offering strategic direction, overseeing coordination, and ensuring the successful implementation of the planned activities. The first Steering Committee meeting took place on 30 October 2020.
The project coincided with the global COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating the use of innovative approaches and measures by The GoDown team and partners to deliver on training objectives, build a strong sense of community, and offer networking opportunities to the participants. Whereas the training was initially meant to be residential, the global and regional travel restrictions meant that a significant amount of learning took place virtually, with shorter residential training for both cohorts. This posed interesting challenges due to the diverse circumstances facing participants from Kenya and Somalia, ranging from internet connectivity, security considerations and scheduling differences.
The Mogadishu Youth Hub
The GoDown continues to offer training and mentorship support for the Mogadishu Youth Hub which was seeded through the ArtXchange Project. The Hub was created to meet a need for a space in which Somali artists and creatives could network, collaborate, and engage in peer learning.
Since its inception, Mogadishu Youth Hub has established a strong connection with local and regional young artists and creative in Somalia.
participants. Whereas the training was initially meant to be residential, the global and regional travel restrictions meant that a significant amount of learning took place virtually, with shorter residential training for both cohorts. This posed interesting challenges due to the diverse circumstances facing participants from Kenya and Somalia, ranging from internet connectivity, security considerations and scheduling differences.